


Sweet Surrender

by muses_circle, xtremeroswellian



Category: Smallville, Supernatural
Genre: Chloe Sullivan is not your damsel in distress, Chloe Sullivan is smarter than you, F/M, Meteor infected, Sex, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:00:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23937268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muses_circle/pseuds/muses_circle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: "So why are we in... Smallville, Kansas, of all places?""Because a lot of weird things happen in this town," Sam responded. "Get this. In the past week, three people have been killed on the east side of town. Cause of death? They were crushed to death. And not by some machine."Dean put his mug down on the table and frowned. "You gonna tell me by what, then? We talking demon, vampire, zombie?""I don't know. That's what we need to find out."
Relationships: Chloe Sullivan & Clark Kent, Chloe Sullivan & Oliver Queen, Chloe Sullivan & Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester/Chloe Sullivan
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

It didn't take much for Chloe Sullivan to become inebriated because Chloe Sullivan rarely ever drank. But her fake ID was the picture of perfection--she'd made it herself and sat at a table alone in a bar somewhere between Smallville and Star City. She'd spent the day in the latter, visiting her mother in the private hospital that Oliver Queen had arranged for her to be in. Far away from Lex Luthor. She didn't even like the taste of beer but by the time she was on her third one it wasn't as bad as she thought. She felt better actually. Bolder.

She watched as two incredibly attractive men walked into the bar, the taller one looking around with some amount of reservation, the older, shorter one looking instantly at ease as he ordered a drink. Keeping her eye on them, she took another drink.

"Sam, come one, we've gotta stop for the night," Dean complained loudly, taking a long drink of his dark beer, savoring the taste for a moment.

Sam rolled his eyes. Dean's need for entertainment hadn't ended with their ghost-hunting in Hollywood. "Fine, whatever," he replied, sitting at the bar. "I'm going to dig up some extra stuff on this next hunt."

Dean shook his head and moved away from his brother. Deep down inside, he was worried about Sam: ever since Madison, the youngest Winchester had been focused way too much on hunting. He had hoped romping around a movie set would've helped, but clearly Dean had to force Sam to cool it for a moment. He slumped onto a barstool a few seats away, leaning his back against the bar and scanning the dark, cigarette-filled room. He felt a pair of eyes on him, but he wasn't sure where the woman was sitting.

She watched the two with curious eyes. Even slightly drunk Chloe was inquisitive. After a moment she decided they had to be brothers. Interesting. Like she had a shot with either of them anyway. Letting out a breath, she looked back to the small stage where some guy was doing a really bad imitation of Aerosmith karaoke. Shaking her head a little, she finished off her beer and rose to her feet.

Pulling out his laptop, Sam grimaced at the off-key, drunken singing. "Dude, did we have to pick a place where they butcher your music... worse than it already is?" He scratched the back of his neck in irritation.

Dean laughed and downed the rest of his beer, turning to order another one. "Relax, Sammy. It's gotta get better." His eyes strayed to the karaoke stage, where a gorgeous but obviously drunk blonde woman was headed, a determined look on her face. Grabbing his drink, Dean smirked and scooted off the barstool. "I'll be back," he told his brother, moving towards the woman without waiting for a response from Sam.

"You can't sing buddy," Chloe told the guy as he moved off the stage.

Shoving the mic in her face, the drunk singer belched loudly and got in her face. "Can you do better?" he slurred.

Making a disgusted face, she took it from him. It wasn't the first time she'd done karaoke, of course. She and Lois were regulars at the Talon's karaoke night. Of course she'd never attempted karaoke drunk, but there was a first time for everything.

Dean moved through the crowd of people near the karaoke stage, positioning himself near the edge of the stage, just feet from her. Her blonde hair brushed her shoulders, making him swallow hard. She had chosen a song, and she was going to sing. He grinned widely at her, a knowing smirk on his face, his hand gripping the handle of his beer.

She was more than a little surprised to see that the older of the two brothers had moved to sit right at the front of the stage, his eyes drinking in the sight of her, a smirk on his face. He was cocky, sure of himself. If she hadn't been tipsy she wouldn't have dared to keep her eyes locked on his face as she sang along to her favorite Joan Jett song. "Singing I love rock and roll, so put another dime in the jukebox baby, so come on take your time and dance with me."

Had it not been for the fact that she kept blatantly staring at him, Dean would have grimaced. Jesus, he hated this song, and she wasn't making it any better. But the way she was checking him out, watching her eyes slide down his frame, the suggestive way she swung her hips, made him realize he'd never think of this song the same way again.

Taking a large swig of his beer, Dean Winchester remained glued to his spot on the floor, his eyes speaking volumes of desire for her.

"Said I'm gonna take you home where we can be alooone," she crooned, smirking at him.

"God, I hope so," he muttered under his breath, his eyes darkening and his body reacting to the way she walked towards him, sultry and seductive, albeit a little unsteadily.

Chloe finished the song, not paying any attention to who was heading up for the stage next as she made her way down the stairs, stumbling just a little, her gaze still locked on the man. She licked her lips, for once not thinking about Clark or Jimmy or anyone else and just wondering what it would be like to be someone else for a night. She brushed against him on her way to her table to retrieve her purse.

Her touch was gentle but suggestive of just what he was looking for. He immediately turned and followed her. When she stopped suddenly near a table, Dean almost bumped into her. "Hey there," he whispered, his lips close to her ear. "Buy you a drink?"

"I think I've had enough drinking for the night," she responded, both pleased and surprised that he'd taken the hint.

He smirked and cocked an eyebrow. "Taking off, then?" he asked smoothly, swallowing the rest of his beer quickly before flashing a brilliant smile her way. She was beautiful, even drunk.

She smirked. "Yeah. But I probably shouldn't be driving. I could use an escort." She held her keys up in front of her, raising her eyebrows.

He grabbed them from her hands, a satisfied grin on his face. "I can do that," he whispered, grabbing her hand and pulling her against him when she started to stumble over her feet. "Just gotta do something first."

The warmth from his body radiated through her own as she found her arms suddenly around his waist. He smelled good, felt strong. Different from Clark, and definitely different from Jimmy, but not in a bad way. She followed as he pulled her over toward the bar where the younger man she assumed was his brother was sitting.

Dean tossed the Impala's keys on the bar next to Sam's hand. "Dude, I'll be back."

Sam glanced at his brother, seeing a pretty though drunk girl in tow. "Dean," he whispered in protest, a little frustrated that his brother couldn't keep his upstairs brain in the hunting game.

Dean rolled his eyes and pulled Chloe against him, slinging his arm around her shoulders to support her. "Come on, let's get you home," he whispered, biting her earlobe gently.

"Don't have one," she murmured as he guided her toward the door, her eyes drifting shut sleepily. "Yaris," she said as they made it outside in the cool air.

Grimacing at the note of despair in her voice, he found the car she described and leaned her against it to unlock the door. He leaned into her, kissing her full lips soundly, unable to resist the way she had parted them in anticipation.

She groaned softly, pulling him closer so that their bodies were pressed together, her back against the car door. The usually smart part of her brain was too fuzzy to tell her going anywhere with a strange man was a really stupid idea, and somewhere deep down inside even though she knew it was bad and dangerous, she just didn't give a damn anymore.

Dean groaned loudly, tugging at her shirt to slip his hand underneath. She tasted like heaven, he thought briefly. His body strained against hers as she moved against him, her thighs brushing his bulging fly.

The feel of his hands against her bare skin caused the breath to hitch in her throat. She swallowed hard, leaning her head back against the car, her eyes closed.

"If you don't stop moving like that, we won't make it back to your place," he whispered against her lips, reluctantly moving away to look into her dazed, glassy green eyes. He wondered if she knew what she was doing and thought she hadn't done anything like this before. His hands stilled on her waist.

"Well, I don't have a place here. I'm between places," she said with a small smile.

He smirked. "What, you're living out of your car?" He gripped her waist gently, teasingly.

Chloe grinned, resting her hands against his chest. "I was visiting someone out of town. I don't live here."

Burying his face into her neck, he breathed in her scent and smiled. "Got a motel for the night?" he asked suggestively.

"Not yet." She bit her lower lip, sliding her fingers through his short hair as she felt his lips against her skin.

"Time to get one." Kissing her neck once more, he pushed the unlock button on her keychain, hearing the door pop before pulling away. He opened the door, grinning at her.

She smiled back at him and slid into the passenger seat as he shut the door behind her. She closed her eyes, yawning as she sank down in the seat further.

Dean started the car, listening to the small engine roar with a grimace, and drove off to the nearest hotel. The one he and Sam happened to be staying at. He glanced over at her, wondering again if this chick... this woman... knew what she was doing. Pulling into the parking lot, Dean ran a hand through his hair. Maybe this wasn't something he should be doing, he thought.

The lack of motion from the car woke her from a light sleep and she opened her eyes, looking around. "Guess we're here," she murmured, reaching for the door handle.

A ghost of a smile lit up his face. "Yep, we are," he whispered, getting out and moving quickly for the front lobby to get a room for them.

She stumbled into the lobby, almost knocking over a plant just inside the door and giggling. "Sorry," she told the guard.

Dean stopped in his tracks, feeling her body bump against his. He turned and grabbed her to keep her from falling. "Watch it," he whispered with a smirk. "Breaking your head? Not a good idea."

She grinned involuntarily. "My head's hard. It wouldn't break."

He kissed her hard. "Wanna bet?" he whispered, leading her towards the front desk to a room key.

She watched as he grabbed the key from the man behind the counter. "Sorry. I don't bet with money I don't have."

Picking her up and pressing her against his chest, he whispered, "Guess I'll take my chances with you, then." He carried her quickly down the hall towards the room, putting her down only long enough to unlock the door.

She wound her arms around his neck, breathing in the faint scent of his cologne as he carried her into the room and locked the door behind them.

Carrying her to the large bed in the center of the room, Dean laid her down, pressing her into the soft mattress and meeting her lips with his once again, sliding his tongue against her lips to deepen their kiss.

She groaned softly, letting her lips part to allow him entrance. This certainly wasn't something she'd planned on the drive back but his body was warm and she just wanted to feel warm and safe for a few hours.

Pushing them back onto the bed, Dean's mouth moved over hers, plundering hers while his hands worked underneath her blouse once more. Her skin was hot, and he knew she wanted him just as much as he did her. Something felt... off, though.

Keeping her eyes closed, Chloe drew in a breath as his hands explored her bare skin again. Some tiny part of her brain nagged at her that he'd probably try and kill her post-coitus. That was just the kind of luck she'd had the last few years. She slid her hands against his chest slowly.

Sighing, he pulled away from her mouth and looked down at her, eyes dark with lust. He wanted to ask what was wrong but hesitated. Rolling over onto his back, he put a hand over his eyes. He wondered what the hell he was doing suddenly, why he was with this girl who seemed too... innocent... for him.

And just like that, he'd moved away, laying down beside her instead of removing her clothes. Well, that was unexpected. "What is it?"

"Maybe we shouldn't... do this." Dean couldn't believe the words that slipped out of his mouth. "You're drunk." He snuck a glance at her confused, sleepy face.

A short laugh escaped her. "Since when do guys care about that?"

Dean Winchester had never been concerned with that before. Ever. But it still felt wrong. "Since... you look like you could use some... sleep." Great, lame, he thought, pulling her against his body.

Sighing softly, she shut her eyes once more, burying her face against his neck. "Whatever you say," she murmured.

Sighing, he kissed her cheek gently. "I'm not gonna take advantage of you like this," he whispered, curling her body against his.

It was the last thing she heard before she drifted off to sleep, warm and content. In the morning, she woke first and to her surprise he was still lying there, asleep, his arms draped around her in a protective manner. Wondering who this man was and realizing it didn't really matter, she slowly extracted herself from his embrace. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she gazed at him for a long moment before scratching out a single word on a piece of paper and leaving it beside him as she grabbed her purse and slipped out the door without waking him.

The morning light shone in his eyes, waking him up. Unconsciously, Dean rolled over, opening his eyes, confused momentarily at his surroundings. It was then he realized he was alone.

He sat up. She was gone. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Getting her number was something he'd forgotten to do, possibly something he'd regret in the future. His hand touched a piece of paper on the pillow that still held the indention of her head and smiled faintly. He picked it up and read the word: "Thanks."

"For what?" he snorted softly, wishing he knew her name and why she had been in that bar.

&&&&&

Dean sat with his brother, drinking his coffee and glancing around at the tackiness of the coffee shop walls. "I wonder why they call this... the Talon?" he asked out loud. "Looks more like something you'd find out of a horror story." He glanced over at Sam, whose face was buried behind the computer.

"The crow is the town's school mascot," he murmured, not looking up.

He rolled his eyes at Sam. "You're a walking encyclopedia of all things trivial," he commented idly, taking another sip of his coffee. "So why are we in... Smallville, Kansas of all places?"

"Because a lot of weird things happen in this town," Sam responded. "Get this. In the past week, three people have been killed on the east side of town. Cause of death? They were crushed to death. And not by some machine."

Dean put his mug down on the table and frowned. "You gonna tell me by what, then? We talking demon, vampire, zombie?"

"I don't know. That's what we need to find out."

He was about to agree when he saw a familiar sight stride through the front door. His mouth stood agape at the view of that blonde woman he'd spent the night with only a day ago. A woman he couldn't stop thinking about. "What the hell?" he asked out loud, blinking in surprise.

"What?" Sam asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked up to see what was wrong. His own eyes widened a little as he watched the familiar girl move across the room and grab a cappuccino before heading up the staircase.

"Don't go anywhere," Dean said, standing up immediately to follow her.

"Dean," Sam hissed in a low warning tone, though it fell on deaf ears.

Speeding up the stairs, Dean called out, "Hey!" He put on his best smile when she turned to look at him, looking as surprised as he was.

Chloe stared at him with shock registered on her expression. "Did you follow me?" she couldn't help asking.

The smile faltered. "No," he replied honestly. "Sam and I just got here this morning." He cocked his head, gazing at her wary green eyes. He could tell she wasn't happy to see him, though for the life of him, he couldn't stop looking at her.

Her gaze moved past him to the tall man whom she vaguely recalled from the bar and saw that he was gazing back at them with uncertainty. "Your brother?" She shifted her eyes back to his face.

His eyes followed her gaze, questions written in his eyes. "Yeah," he replied, grimacing a little at the look on Sam's face as he stared at the local newspaper. Whatever he'd found wasn't good. "My brother's enjoying the newspaper."

"Which one?"

"The geek boy reading the paper." He pointed at Sam and looked at her. Something amused her, because he dropped his hand and grinned. "Something funny?"

"No, I meant which paper. I knew which guy you were talking about." She smirked a little.

"Whatever paper this ri-- really pretty town has." He smirked back at her, enjoying the way she was sizing him up. Almost as if she thought of his as a challenge.

Chloe arched an eyebrow, lifting her cappuccino to her lips and taking a sip. "Well, there are three. The school paper, the Inquisitor and the Ledger. Although he could be reading the Daily Planet, as well."

He snorted. "Knowing Sam, he's started with the local one... the Ledger, I think." He fell silent, swallowing hard as a bout of unusual shyness overcame him.

"So what are you guys doing here anyway?" It occurred to her that she didn't even know what his name was.

He thought of the first thing to enter his mind. "Road trip," he replied with a goofy grin. "We're going across country, checking out all the interesting sites this country has to offer." He leaned in a little bit and smiled, that action reaching his eyes. "The places and the people."

"And you deemed the leafy little hamlet of Smallville interesting?" she asked, leaning a little closer to him as well.

"Having seen its people?" he whispered, his lips a breadth away from hers. "Definitely." He gripped the railing, thankful to be out of site from the inhabitants below, especially since he wanted nothing more than to finish what they had started not too long ago.

A smile quirked her lips as she held his gaze for a moment, then let it drop to his mouth. "I see."

Moving into her, he touched his lips to hers softly, pushing her back against the door with his body slowly. When she responded by digging a hand into his chest, he fought against the urge to whisk her into the room behind the door and have his way with her. He kept his hands off her, though he couldn't stop kissing her.

The breath caught in her throat as they kissed with an urgency she'd never felt before.

A low growl rumbled in his throat as he broke the kiss, feeling not a little unsteady. "That your way of saying hello or goodbye?" he muttered, his eyes never straying from her lush, full lips.

"Hey, you kissed me," she retorted.

"Yeah, but you kissed me back," Dean protested with a knowing smirk, lifting his eyes to look into hers: they remained wary, though he saw the fire lit behind them.

"Do you always kiss strange women whose names you don't know?" She smirked back.

Feeling like he'd been drenched with cold water, he stood back and regarded her. "Sure, it happens all the time," he commented idly, glancing back at his brother, who still seemed engrossed in the newspaper.

Somehow she wasn't surprised by that announcement. He definitely looked like the love 'em and leave 'em type. "What is your name?"

"Dean Winchester," he blurted out thoughtlessly, not looking at her. He grimaced when he realized what he'd said. If Sam found out, their cover would be blown, he thought, turning to look back at her. "Yours?"

"Chloe Sullivan," she responded, gazing at him intently. "How long are you in town?"

A lazy smile crossed his lips as he regarded her. "Depends." He suddenly hoped they'd run into some roadblocks: this Chloe Sullivan was worth sticking around for.

"Hmm." She leaned back against the door, still gazing at him. "Do you wanna come in?"

Dean couldn't hide the mild surprise he felt at her question. He had assumed she'd be ready and waiting to get rid of him at this point, especially since something in her voice told him something was seriously wrong with her. It was almost as if... Mentally shaking off that though, he grinned. "Am I gonna get regret it if I said hell yes?"

A slow smirk spread across her face. "Well, I really hope not." She turned and unlocked the door, stepping into the apartment.

Glancing once more at his brother, Dean realized Sam would be at the paper for awhile and waltzed through the door she held open for him. Once inside, he quickly perused the one-room apartment, large bed on one end with the living area on the other. For a second, he was torn between which way to turn, though he saw Chloe move past him into the kitchen. "So... you live here?" he asked casually.

"Only when I'm not at work," she said with a faint smirk as she moved over to the fridge, pulling it open and grabbing a beer from the door and setting it on the table in front of him.

Taking it, he popped it open and took a large swig. "Which is where?" he asked, turning his back to her to check out the books on her shelves.

"The Daily Planet," Chloe responded without hesitation.

"Really?"

"Yes, really." She lifted her chin a little, feeling slightly defensive.

Dean felt more than saw her irritation and turned to look at her. "That's great," he replied, taking another sip. "You could tell us all about Smallville."

Chloe felt her stomach tighten a little, wondering who this guy was and why he was really there. "Not sure what you wanna know."

"Oh, you know, the sights," he continued, wishing he had Sam's ability to put people at ease when asking leading questions. "Items of importance. The old. The weird, strange, and unusual."

Her eyes narrowed a little at his last words. "What makes you think there's anything weird, strange or unusual about Smallville?" she asked casually.

Clapping the bottle on the counter, Dean turned to look her in the eye. "Gee, I don't know. This is the Meteor Capital of the World, right? At least that's what the sign said on the way in." He took a step towards her, growing more irritated by the second. "That has to do something to a town."

Feeling uneasy, she stepped away from him without thinking about it, her gaze darting nervously toward the telephone. "So what are you? Some kind of paranormal investigator?" she shot back.

Damn, that hit too hard at home, he grimaced inwardly, never taking his eyes off hers. "That's one way of putting it, yeah." Turning, he made for the door. "I thought maybe you could help, but you're a little too freaked out by my presence to be useful." He felt like a heel, leaving without asking if she needed help, but the fact she kept gazing at him like he was a monster was all he needed to get out.

Her eyes darkened with anger as she darted toward the door, shutting it just as he started to open it. She glared at him, her breathing a little heavier than usual. "I've been accused of a lot of things before in my life, but not being useful? That's a new one."

"Hey, I was just asking you questions," he growled, the urge to get in her face and shake her strong. He balled his fists to keep from moving. "You're the one looking at me like I've grown a horn on my head."

"You know if this is your way of seducing a woman, you must be a virgin," she snapped.

He folded his arms, an amused gleam in his eyes. "So you're telling me you asked me here so I could seduce you while sober?" He would have bet had he picked her up properly while she'd been drunk, there wouldn't have been this level of argumentation.

Chloe's cheeks flushed. Is that what she'd wanted, expected? "Who asked you here? I'm not convinced you didn't follow me here from the motel this morning." She lifted her chin and looked at him defiantly.

So his instincts had been correct. Chloe Sullivan was being followed, and that was creeping her out. He frowned and took a step back, gazing at the worry she couldn't hide in her eyes. "Yeah, I'm a real stalker," he retorted, shaking his head. "Sam and I are on the prowl for pretty blondes. That's why he's scouring the newspapers downstairs looking for something that'll give us a lead."

She fell silent, staring at him intently as she struggled to decide whether or not he was there to kill her or if he really was just interested in the weirdness that was Smallville. Which of course, included her, whether he knew it or not. "All right. Then tell me why you are here. What are you looking for, specifically?" Her body was tense, her eyes wary.

Running a hand over his face, Dean groaned. "Sam thinks there's... something killing people here. Three deaths in the last week, all the victims crushed by something that isn't a machine." He cocked his head and gazed at her. "Know anything about that?"

Chloe's face paled a little, knowing exactly what he was talking about. It was the same case she and Clark had been investigating, and she'd narrowed her list of suspects down to one: an escapee of 33.1. The same escapee that had helped her and her mother escape the same facility. She slowly turned away from him, her heart thudding dully in her chest.

Having watched the various emotions cross her face, he knew she knew something. Maybe exactly the information he needed to get Sam and solve this case. "I'll take that as a yes," he replied, staring at her back, watching the way her hair fell against her neck in all the places he wanted to kiss.

She chewed on her thumbnail, trying to calm her frazzled nerves. "You could say that."

"So is there some way Sam and I can... help?" Dean kept his tone and face carefully neutral, especially since he had realized she might somehow be at the center of this situation.

Chloe's head dropped forward a little, her shoulders slumping as she swallowed hard. "No. This is a problem I have to deal with."

"You're kidding me, right?" Dean asked, forgetting to sound concerned for her well-being. Especially considering her response was... stupid.

Growing annoyed once more, she turned to face him. "Do I look like I'm kidding?" she snapped, her eyes dark and narrowed.

"No, you look like one of those damn independent women who drive me nuts on way too many levels!" With that, Dean grabbed the doorknob once more, hauling the door open with a violent jerk.

"Sorry. If you're looking for a damsel in distress, you should look elsewhere," she said evenly, folding her arms across her chest.

Turning to look at her in the doorway, he snapped, "Believe me, I have better things to do than save drunk women from themselves." Angry, hurt, and irritated, he left the apartment in a hurry, anxious to get to work and get out of this stupid one cow town.

Chloe flinched involuntarily at his words, watching him go before slamming the door shut behind him. She rested her back against it, hot tears stinging her eyes. She shut them tightly, forcing herself to take a deep breath. She wouldn't cry. Not now, and certainly not because of some guy she barely knew. She didn't have time for tears or romantic entanglements. Especially not with someone as infuriating as Dean Winchester.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam simply raised an eyebrow as he watched his brother fume silently behind the wheel of the Impala as he drove them toward a motel on the outskirts of town. "So she shot you down, huh?"

"Shut up, Sam," he growled, fists tight on the steering wheel. "She's mouthy, obnoxious. I don't know why I even bothered."

"You like her," he responded with a smirk.

Dean snorted. "I do not!" He pushed on the gas harder.

***

"Yeah, you like this guy," Clark replied with a slight smile, watching Chloe pace around her tiny apartment, her movement filled with irritation.

"Oh yeah. Aside from the fact that he's mouthy and completely obnoxious he's also arrogant and cocky. That's hardly a combination of qualities I'm looking for in my ideal guy," Chloe said, rolling her eyes.

"Good, Chloe, because for a second there I really thought he was the perfect guy for you."

She shot him an annoyed look, irritated by the smirk on his face. "You haven't even met him."

"Maybe I should," Clark replied with a knowing smile, "because I've never seen you so worked up over a guy before. This is definitely a first."

She opened her mouth to protest, but found she had no words. Instead she picked up one of the pillows from the sofa and threw it at him.

Clark sped around the room, making the pillows suspend in mid-flight from the velocity of his movement. When he stopped, he laughed at her.

***

"Dammit, Sammy, this isn't funny!" Dean fumed, screeching to a halt at the only motel near Smallville. "She pissed me off with her 'you don't know how to seduce a woman' crap. It was... insulting."

Sam nearly choked on his laughter. "She actually said that?"

He nearly kicked the door open and off its hinges. "Yes," he ground between his teeth, seeing red for a second before turning to look at his brother. "Don't make me kick your ass, because I know your pickup lines are pansy, at best."

He snorted in an attempt to hold back another round of laughter. "I like this girl already."

"Good, then maybe you can get information out of her." Dean got out and stalked towards the front lobby for a room key.

***

"Seriously, Chloe," Clark continued, watching her try to leave her own apartment, "you didn't tell this Dean anything about this guy your mother was controlling, right?"

"Of course not, Clark. I don't even know anything about him." Except the fact he hadn't taken advantage of the fact she was drunk, she thought, frowning a little as she considered that for a moment.

Clark saw through her pensive look and grinned. "But you want to get to know him, don't you?"

She groaned involuntarily, turning away from him as her cheeks flushed with warmth. "Maybe," she responded after a moment. "He was different."

"Different, huh?" Clark knew that was her way of saying his guy had peaked her interest. "How so?"

***

"Sam, can you let it go already?" Dean asked, tossing his brother a room key. "Can't we go hunt down this demon and get the hell outta Dodge?"

The way his older brother was protesting, Sam knew Dean didn’t' just like this girl. He really liked her. And for Dean, that was unusual. "Well it sounds like she's got the information we need."

"Great, then like I said, you get the info on this thing from her. I don't want to be anywhere near her." That was a lie, of course, but Dean wasn't about to tell Sam that.

He grinned involuntarily as he set up his computer on the small table by the bed he'd dropped his stuff on. "Yeah, you're right. She sounds like she's more my type anyway," he said casually.

Dean nearly knocked his brother against the wall for that remark, but he refrained. "Nerdy and geek-like? Hell, she's a journalist. Go for it." He hoped his voice sounded casual.

***

Clark grinned at Chloe's obvious indecision over Dean Winchester asking her for help on the same case they'd been working. "Hey, you're the journalist. Why not take him on a wild goose chase or something?"

"I don't exactly have that kind of time, Clark, intriguing as that idea might be." She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "We have to find this guy and stop him." Guilt tugged at her.

He moved to her and put his hands on her shoulders, a friendly yet concerned smile on his face. "Yes, we do. I can run around town to see where he is, but Chloe... maybe these two guys could help out." He saw the irritation return and did his best to look sheepish. "They're looking for the same thing, apparently."

"Look, even if they are some kind of...paranormal investigators, Clark...what do they know about meteor freaks?" She shook her head a little. "They'll just get themselves killed."

"Don't these paranormal investigators know how to take care of themselves in weird situations?" Clark replied with a small shrug.

"Against a meteor freak that crushes people to death with his bare hands effortlessly?"

***

"What the hell do you think she knows about this case, anyway?" Dean spoke aloud, resting his head against the headboard and flipping through channels as quickly as possible.

"You said her name's Sullivan, right? Chloe Sullivan?" His eyebrows raised as he stared at his computer screen.

"Yes, Einstein. Chloe Sullivan. Need me to spell it for you?" He glanced over at Sam, who seemed engrossed by whatever he'd found on his laptop. "What is it?"

"Well..." Cocking his head to one side, Sam turned to look at his brother. "Come look for yourself and tell me you don't think she knows exactly what's going on in this town."

Scuffling to his feet, Dean strode across the small room and looked down at Sam's computer screen. His eyes widened with shock and anger when he saw a very long list of articles -- all written by Chloe Sullivan -- for the high school newspaper. Everything about the weird and unusual. "Bullshit," he grumbled, pissed off. "She could have said something."

"Yeah, well apparently you pissed her off."

"Not a mistake I'm going to make again," he stated evenly, going back to his original position on the bed.

***

"Maybe he didn't mean to make you mad," Clark insisted, giving Chloe a look.

"No, he meant to seduce me," she retorted, returning the look with one of her own.

Clark shifted and looked down, not interested in where this conversation was headed. "Okay, TMI, Chlo," he said softly, a slight blush crossing his face. "I still say go talk to him and see if he knows anything. Maybe Dean and his brother could help out."

Chloe groaned. "Since when do we need extra help hunting down meteor freaks?"

"Since you developed a crush on said help," Clark replied, a knowing grin on his face.

***

"No, Sam, I do not want to go talk to her again," Dean protested, turning the sound on the TV up as loud as it would go. Anything to drown out his brother's insane suggestions.

Sam rolled his eyes in annoyance, wishing for once his brother wouldn't be so pigheaded. "Fine. I'll go talk to her."

He folded his arms across his chest, faintly annoyed Sam actually was going to talk to her. "No, I'll go," he sighed heavily. "Though if I come back missing body parts, it was all in self-defense."

A small smile tugged at his lips as he watched his brother head for the door. "Good luck."

"Luck has nothing to do with it," Dean whispered inaudibly as he shut the door behind him and headed for the Impala, a smile tugging on his lips at the thought of seeing her again. Her obnoxiousness and everything.

***

Clark headed for the apartment door and turned the knob. "I'm going for a run. I think based on the break-in at Lex's and those other murders, the guy's heading east. He might even be out of town by now." He turned to look at Chloe, who appeared lost in thought.

"Yeah, all right," she said, slowly sitting down on her sofa, distracted.

Shaking his head, amused, Clark disappeared, the door slamming behind him as he left.

Less than five minutes later, she looked up as she heard a knock on the door. "I'm guessing you didn't find anything?" she asked as she pulled it open, startled to see Dean, and not Clark standing before her.

"Was I supposed to?" Dean asked, an amused smirk on his face. Her face turned a delightful shade of pink and he nearly groaned at his gut's tightening in response.

"I wasn't expecting you," she said, giving him a look.

"Didn't think I'd be back so soon," he replied, gazing at her intently, unaffected by her scornful look.

"Didn't think you'd be back at all," Chloe responded.

He was about to state he wasn't going to come back, but he didn't want the door slammed in his face. "So, uh, can I come in?"

"Depends. Are you going to insult me again?" she asked evenly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Depends. Are you going to let me show you I know how to seduce a woman?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Chloe was so caught off guard by his remark, she almost didn't know how to respond. "Guess you'll have to find a willing woman to prove it."

A glint entered his eye. "Who says I haven't found one already?" He leaned against the doorjamb, staring intently as her flushed face. She looked unsure of herself, something he found interesting... and arousing.

She stared back at him just as intently. "Are you gonna come in or are you just gonna loiter in my door all day?"

Standing upright slowly, Dean stared at her and moved towards her, sauntering through the door, stopping mere inches from her body. "How's that?" he queried softly, grasping her chin and pulling her large green eyes up to meet his.

Her stomach tightened involuntarily at his nearness. The feel of his hand on her chin and the way he was searching her eyes caused the breath to hitch in her throat and she wondered how she could be so affected by a man she barely knew.

Ignoring the mass of nerves he felt squirming in his stomach, he lifted his hand to her hair, brushing stray strands away from her face. Why was he so attracted to her? he wondered briefly, watching her gaze settle on his lips. Lush curves aside, the only thing they seemed to share was a mutual ability to irritate each other. Maybe it was because he suspected that she hid her true self from the rest of the world.

He could get to know that woman, he thought, wrapping her hair around his fingers, pulling her face towards his.

She shifted closer to him, an almost involuntary reaction as their lips met in a warm embrace that left her craving more. She rested her hands lightly against his chest, closing her eyes as he slowly deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding along her mouth. She parted her lips, giving him silent permission to continue.

Her response confused him, but that didn't stop him from taking advantage of it. Kicking the door shut with his foot, Dean put a free hand on her hip, pulling her closer so their bodies bumped together gently. His lips plundered hers, tongue sliding against hers slowly. His heart thudded in his chest, lost in the sensations she was creating, feeling his body harden with need.

She slid her hands up to his neck, pulling him closer as her body flooded with heat. She wondered if maybe this was exactly what she needed. Just to forget all her problems for a few hours. Hell, even a few minutes. She found her back pressed firmly against the front door and she groaned softly against his mouth, biting his lower lip lightly.

"Careful," he panted, grinding his body against hers, "I bite back." His hands dove under her shirt, caressing her heated skin as if memorizing it. Her passionate desperation made him think twice about whether this was a good idea, but when her hands grasped his hips and dug into his jeans, he knew she wasn't letting him go.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" She slid her hands beneath his shirt, exploring his own heated skin, not a bit surprised at the well-toned muscles she found there as she bit him lightly once more.

"At the rate you're going?" he rasped against her lips, picking her up and wrapping her long legs around his waist. He backed up and started walking slowly towards the large bed he'd seen earlier, his hands holding her sides tightly.

She groaned softly as his hardness pressed against her thighs through their jeans. His fingers dug into her hips and she slid her hands through his hair, lowering her lips to his neck.

His legs hit the foot of the bed, sending them sprawling onto it, his weight nearly crushing her as he collapsed onto her. Dean buried his face between her breasts, taking several heavy breaths, steadying himself, before tackling the buttons on her shirt, his fingers nearly ripping them off as his lips kissed her exposed skin.

Chloe bit down hard on her lip, closing her eyes tightly at the feel of his lips against her stomach. Her fingers knotted in his hair, the breath hitching in her throat.

"Ow," he grunted, feeling her hands tug in his hair. He smelled her arousal, felt the heat radiating off her skin, and smiled. "Didn't know you were so violent." His fingers unhooked her bra and tweaked a nipple as he spoke.

A bitter smile touched her lips. "That's because you don't know me." She reached out and yanked at the front of his shirt, watching in satisfaction as the first couple buttons popped off.

Dean's eyes lit up with an almost feral gleam. "I plan to remedy that," he whispered, shucking off his shirt, the remaining buttons scattering onto the floor. He resumed his gentle torture, licking her navel as his hands unbuttoned her jeans.

Chloe watched as he tugged the jeans off her hips, leaving her naked except for the black underwear that covered her. She shivered involuntarily as the cool air hit her bare skin, causing goose bumps to rise up on her skin.

"Dammit," he whispered, taking a moment to look at her. She was beautiful, he thought, sliding his hands up her legs. Skin smooth and creamy. Flawless. He had never seen perfection. Nuzzling her mound, he slowly peeled her underwear away, feeling her shiver with pleasure. His cock pulsated, straining against his fly.

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, opening her eyes to look at him, her green eyes intense.

Rubbing her clit slowly, his eyes connected with hers and he watched those wide orbs turn dark with pleasure. A sensuous smile graced his lips.

"Dean." Her voice was low, her fingers bunching the sheets beneath her hands.

"Tell me," he whispered, leaning down and kissing her inner thighs, his finger easing into her hot wetness.

She hissed involuntarily. "Don't be gentle," she whispered.

He sucked in a breath of surprise, of intense pleasure that raced through his veins at her words. He pulled away long enough to discard his jeans, freeing his hard manhood, and grabbing a condom. He ripped the foil in half, sliding the thin shield on and then hovering over her, his eyes hot and needy.

Chloe gazed at him, her body tense and her breathing heavy as he leaned over her. Wordlessly she pressed her lips against his in a hard, demanding kiss.

Positioning himself, Dean pushed into her, filling her quickly. He felt her gasp, her shock, and shuddered with pleasure. She was tight, and her muscles around his cock felt so good, it nearly made him come. "Jesus," he rasped hoarsely, letting go of her lips for a moment when he began to move quickly.

A soft cry escaped her as his length stretched her painfully tight, and she shut her eyes, arching up against him and winding her legs around his waist even as her fingernails raked down his shoulder blades.

He pounded into her, shuddering at the feel of her fingers on his skin, her inner walls massaging his cock. "Chloe," he panted in her ear, biting her earlobe as he pounded into her.

She whimpered involuntarily, the pain heightening the pleasure as she felt her body tensing for release. Her head fell backwards onto the pillow, exposing her neck as her back arched up toward him again.

Sucking on her neck, Dean rode her quick and hard, feeling the heat rise between them. Her climax rippled through her, making her cry aloud as she wound her legs around him, pushing him into her deeper. His cock pulsed and he drove into her once last time, releasing himself with a wild jerk and muffled cry into her tender flesh.

She shuddered against him, swallowing hard as she panted for breath, collapsing beneath him.

Stifling a satisfied chuckle, Dean rolled onto his side and pulled off the thin film from his cock, tossing it into the trashcan by her bed. He then pulled her back to his front, spooning her. "That good enough?" he whispered, kissing her neck, a smirk on his face.

Chloe shut her eyes, shuddering a little against the feel of his mouth against her skin. "All right. So what do you wanna know?"

"Besides everything about you?" he whispered, licking her earlobe.

"Not about me. About the case."

Dean frowned and took a deep breath. "What do you know about what killed those people?"

"Not a what. A who."

"Who?" He moved back and turned her over so he could look at her. Chloe's eyes spoke of a sadness he understood too well, though he had no intention of asking her about it. Yet.

"A super-powered meteor freak." She gazed at him.

"A... what?" His voice carefully hid the shock and disbelief at hearing her words. What the hell was a meteor freak? he asked himself, his hands pulling a cover over their now cool naked skin.

"In 1989 there was a meteor shower here. Biggest one the planet's seen. A lot of people died and a lot of others got hurt. Well, the meteors alter people's chemical makeup. It gives them abilities to do things other people can't."

His body stiffened and he stared at her. "Wait, you telling me some random dude juiced up on these... rocks did that?"

"Yes." Her gaze was even, her body tense. "His ability is super-strength."

Wonderful, he thought, rolling onto his back. He needed to get this news to Sam, though how they were going to take this guy down, he had no idea. "Great, superpowers. That's something you don't hear everyday."

Unless you're me, Chloe thought, closing her eyes for a moment before moving off the bed and quickly pulling her clothes back on.

Closing his eyes, Dean listened to the gentle rustling of her clothes sliding over her body. A tense awkwardness fell between them, and he wondered if it was time to go. She seemed to want him to leave.

She raked a hand through her hair quickly, straightening up and looking at where he still lay in her bed. "We should probably tell your brother what's going on if you're going to try and help find this guy."

His eyes shot open. "Wait a minute," he said, pulling himself up to look at her. "Help find this guy? Sweetheart, Sam and I are the ones to find him. That's why we're here."

Chloe's eyes narrowed. "The name's Chloe. And FYI, I know more about the meteor freaks in this town than just about anyone else. And you're not gonna get very far without me," she informed him, turning and heading for the door.

Watching her leave, Dean jumped out of bed and yanked on his clothes. "Yeah, right," he grumbled, wondering how he and Sam were going to protect this stubborn headed woman from herself.

Chloe was already down the stairs and across the cafe to Sam's table by the time Dean made it out the door. "Hi, Sam. I'm Chloe." She stuck her hand out.

Startled out of his thoughts, Sam dropped the newspaper and looked up at the pretty blonde that had Dean wound tighter than he'd ever seen his brother. "Hi. Sam," he stated, taking her hand and shaking it briefly. "I guess... Dean's talked to you about our case?" He saw his older brother nearly running down the stairs and couldn't help the smirk that flitted across his lips.

"Yeah. He has." She gazed at him for a moment, consciously aware that the two were brothers but already sensing their differences.

Sam let go of her hand and lumbered to his feet. "Please, have a seat," he replied, offering her the empty chair across from her.

"I'm guessing the newspapers were a bust, huh?" Dean said, noticing the papers scattered across the table, as if Sam had been tossing them around in frustration.

Giving his brother a look, Sam turned to look at Chloe, seeing the hesitation in her eyes. "Please," he urged. "We need to know what you know."

Chloe glanced around the nearly empty cafe and slowly sat down across from Sam, sneaking a sideways glance at Dean but remaining silent. She couldn't help but wonder who they really were.

Always aware of her, Dean took a seat next to her, resting one hand on her knee.

She felt the light pressure and bit her tongue lightly to keep from shivering, focusing her gaze on Sam. "The person you're looking for is a meteor freak with super-strength." She quickly gave him the same rundown she had Dean, studying his features and trying to determine whether or not he believed her or thought she was a lunatic.

What Chloe was telling him was the craziest thing he had ever heard, yet there was something in her eyes that told Sam she was telling the truth. Believed it, had seen it with her own eyes. Leaning in and resting on his forearms, Sam looked at Chloe. "So, uh, how do you catch this guy?" He snuck a glance at Dean, who wore a serious expression.

She leaned toward him, lowering her voice. "Trial and error."

"What the hell does that mean?" Dean asked, squeezing her knee and glancing at Sam.

"It means every meteor freak is different. They all have different weaknesses. It's a matter of figuring out what this one's is."

Sam swallowed hard. This was definitely something they had never encountered before. "You got any leads on... what kind it is?" he asked quietly.

"Not yet. But I'm working on it." Her voice was grim and she started to say something else when the bell over the door tinkled. Her face paled a little as she spotted the familiar, attractive bald man she'd once considered a friend.

Dean felt her body tense, almost shudder with revulsion, and he turned to look at her sharply. Her face was pale, almost ghostly, and the question fell away from his lips. He turned towards the door, following her stare.

"Great," Sam whispered under his breath as he watched Lex Luthor himself stride through the door like he owned the place.

He spotted her immediately, as though he'd known all along that she was there and for all she knew, he really had. "Good morning, Chloe." His voice was filled with false cheer, his eyes dark.

"Well it was," she responded, meeting his gaze with an even one of her own.

Dean stood up and eyed the bald man carefully. "Who's this?" he drawled, his voice low and rough.

"Lex Luthor," Sam replied, cocking an eyebrow and standing as well, though he hung by his chair, never taking his eyes from the newcomer.

Lex cocked an eyebrow and looked at them with sudden interest and it made her blood run cold. "And you would be?"

"Tourists. They got lost on the way to Metropolis," Chloe answered, her voice tense as she too, rose to her feet.

Dean fought the urge to roll his eyes at the obvious lie she was feeding this guy and turned to look at her. "Chloe's been very helpful in showing us how to get out of this cornrow town."

"Yes, she's always full of useful information," he said with a smirk, gazing at her intently. "Runs in her family."

Chloe's eyes darkened a little, her body tensing even more. "Was there something you wanted, Lex?"

Sam's focus shifted to Chloe, who was trying very hard to keep her composure. Suddenly it had occurred to him that there was a longer and much deeper story they'd stumbled upon. And she seemed to be in the middle of it. He looked sharply at Dean, who simply nodded at his brother, sensing the tension.

"No. I can see you're busy. We'll talk later," he responded smoothly, still smirking. "Have a good day." He turned and headed out of the Talon once more.

Dean's head immediately whipped around to stare at Chloe, whose face was white as a sheet. "What the hell was that about?" he whispered, taking her arm to steady her.

Her heart was pounding so heavily in her chest she wondered if they could hear it. "That was about unfinished business," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"What kind of unfinished business?" Dean responded, grasping her arm tighter.

"Dean..." Sam whispered, looking at the blonde with compassion and concern for her. She was scared of Lex Luthor, so much so that if Dean let her go, she'd crumple onto the floor.

"What, Sammy?" he countered, glaring at his brother.

It took her a moment to regain her composure, and she slowly sat down in the seat. "I need some water."

"I'll get it," Sam replied quietly, giving her a sad look before striding off towards the front counter for a glass of water.

Dean sat down next to her, reluctantly dropping his hand. "So, uh... you know Lex Luthor?" he asked lamely, kicking himself. Obviously they knew each other, he thought, looking down at the table. The question was more about their history.

Chloe rested her face in her hands for a moment, struggling to decide on what she should do next. "You could say we're more than casual acquaintances."

"Oh God, you two didn't...?" he started with a grimace.

She jerked her head up to stare at him in horror. "Of course not!"

Despite the sudden rush of relief at seeing the intense irritation and disgust cross her features, Dean frowned sheepishly. "Hey, that's good... because for a second there I was gonna question your taste in men."

"Maybe she already is," Sam replied, having heard his brother's off-color comment as he returned to the table. Handing the glass of water to Chloe, he sat down again, studying her intently.

"Thanks," she said softly to Sam, taking a sip of the cool liquid and closing her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to take a couple of deep breaths. Then she slowly opened her eyes again and glanced around the cafe, her body tense as though she expected a monster to jump out any second and attack them right there.

Looking at Dean, Sam whispered to Chloe, "Let's get out of here." The girl looked like she was about to jump out of her skin, so being here obviously wasn't a good idea.

Nodding, Dean covered her hand with his. "So, uh, where can we take you?"

She was silent for a moment, then she slowly rose to her feet, not willing to take them around Clark even though it was her natural inclination to head to the Kents' when there was trouble. They hunted the supernatural, and she wasn't convinced they were entirely trustworthy. She hesitated a moment, looking from Sam to Dean, and said the only place she thought might be safe from listening devices and other equipment Lex had no doubt stashed in every corner of her life. "Your car."

Sam glanced at Dean worriedly. "Dean, can I talk to you for a second?" he said, standing up and looking at Chloe apologetically.

She gazed at the taller of the two brothers with hesitation and uncertainty as he pulled his older brother aside.

"Dude, I don't think taking Chloe with us is the best idea," Sam said when they were out of earshot.

Dean crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow at his brother. "Oh yeah? Why not? Doesn't she have the goods on this dude who can smash things with his bare hands? Isn't that the point?"

"Look, clearly we walked into something a lot bigger than we'd anticipated," he said in a hushed voice.

"And now that we're in the middle of it, we need to see this through," he replied sternly, giving Sam a look.

He was silent for a moment, casting a worried glance at Chloe, and then looking back at his brother. "Dean, Lex Luthor is...not something we're prepared to deal with."

"What? He's a monster... we kill monsters last time we checked." He grumbled, a low sigh on his lips. "We can't just... leave her like this, dude."

Sam glanced at Chloe once more, almost able to feel her fear and fatigue. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right," he murmured.

"Gee, that's a first," he grumbled under his breath, glancing in Chloe's direction. Her hunched shoulders distracted him, made him want to take her burdens from her. He shook his head, this feeling totally alien to him.

"Whatever we're doing, we better do it quick. I don't think she trusts us."

"No, she doesn't," he agreed, taking a step towards her. "Normally you'd be good at this, but since she's so attracted to me..." He smirked at his brother, then moved back to where Chloe sat.

Sam rolled his eyes and watched his older brother move back to Chloe's side.

Holding out his hand, Dean looked earnestly at Chloe's down turned face. "Let's get you outta here," he said evenly.

She hesitated a moment, then rationalized the fact that they'd slept together and he hadn't tried to kill her. Nodding a little she slowly stood up.

Sam held the door for Chloe and watched her exit the Talon quickly, almost as if the Devil himself was on her heels. What had they gotten themselves into? he wondered, following Dean out the door and watching him take Chloe to their Chevy Impala.

"Sam, you're in back, dude," Dean called, holding the front passenger side door open for Chloe.

She hesitated a moment before climbing into the passenger seat of the classic car. At another time she probably would have taken the time to admire it, but she just didn't have it in her right then.

It didn't take Dean long to jump into the driver's seat and speed off towards their hotel on the outskirts of town. No one spoke the entire duration of the ride, though Dean had a million questions. And by the time they'd reach the hotel, Chloe looked about has happy as someone who'd undergone root canal work.

"Want to tell us about it?" he offered, unlocking the door to the hotel room, glancing at Sam as he headed for the front desk to get another room for her. Just in case.

She stepped inside, looking tense and wary. "Like I said, it's gonna be trial and error."

"Have you ruled out anything that *doesn't* work?" he asked, shutting the door behind her.

"Not so far. We have to find the guy first."

Dean looked pensive for a moment. "When was the last time you saw him?" He really wanted to ask how she managed to confront this guy and survive, but something told him she wouldn't react well to that question.

"A little over a week ago."

Vague much? he thought with a wry smile, seeing Sam enter the room with another room key.

"Here, Chloe," the younger Winchester said, offering the key to her. "You're free to stay with us, if you want." He glanced over at Dean, hesitation and concern written on his face.

"Thanks," she said quietly, taking the key from him and looking between them. She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "If you're wondering how I managed to survive that particular encounter it was because I had him at gunpoint."

"Gunpoint, huh?" Sam asked carefully, not wanting to give away the fact that he didn't quite believe her. Not when this guy could have literally torn her apart from what he'd read about the other victims.

"He didn't... try to attack you or anything?" Dean asked, secretly pleased that she knew how to wield a gun.

"No." She hesitated for a second. "But he was under a form of mind control."

Sam threw Dean a *I told you so* look. "Mind control? From whom? For what purpose?"

Her eyes darkened a little. "Someone trying to stop Lex Luthor," she responded, her voice tense.

"Too bad he didn't succeed," Dean replied under his breath, voice hard as nails with determination.

"She," Chloe corrected him, not meeting his gaze.

Sam blinked. "She?"

"Smallville's an equal opportunity town when it comes to meteor freaks."

Dean snorted. "Sounds like a great setup here."

Hitting his brother in the arm roughly, San looked at Chloe. "Okay, so this guy got away and was basically a killing machine for someone else. Is she going to put the... mind whammy on him again, do you think?" He glanced at Dean sideways, smirking when he saw his brother roll his eyes.

Chloe flinched visibly. "No. She won't be." She turned away, shutting her eyes tightly.

Sam knew he had hit a nerve, though he had no idea why. His impression was that this female... whomever she was... knew Chloe. Might have been close to her, for all he knew.

"Okay, so no mind whammy," Dean said out loud, watching Chloe's every motion like a hawk. "So where do you think this guy went?"

She was silent for a moment. "I don't know. There hasn't been a pattern I can discern."

"So is there a way to track this guy, then?" Sam asked slowly, sitting down on the bed near them. "I mean, if he's a wanted man, certainly the cops are looking for him."

"You're overestimating the local police. They're not very bright. They think they're looking for some kind of wild animal." She turned to face them once more.

Dean ran a hand over his face. "Cops, man," he grumbled.

"Dean, they're just doing their job," Sam pointed out... again.

"Dude, we are so not having that conversation again," he retorted hotly, his eyes sharp with irritation. Glancing at Chloe, he continued in a calmer voice. "Do you know of some way to track him?"

She was quiet for a moment. "Yeah. There might be a way. But it involves highly illegal acts."

Dean wanted to laugh out of sheer pleasure over her words. "We invented highly illegal acts," he told her proudly, ignoring the warning look Sam shot his way. "I think Sam should help you, though. He's very Geek Boy with the research and computer hacking."

"Well, that makes two of us." She offered Sam a tiny smile.

"God, Dean, would you stop with the name-calling?" Sam ground out, though he smiled politely at Chloe, sensing a slight change in the air where she was concerned.

Dean grinned winningly at both of them and knew they would find this guy and take care of him in no time.


	3. Chapter 3

The last place Sam expected to find himself was in a busy newspaper office like the Daily Planet. A huge busy newspaper office, he mused, looking around at the people moving like bugs through the small walkways. He glanced at Dean, who still looked rough with sleep. "Hey, you didn't have to come with me," he whispered, walking quietly behind Chloe.

Dean grumbled and shook his head. "I'm good." He held up his styrofoam cup. "Just waiting for the caffeine to kick in." He saw Chloe turn and look at him, amusement in her eyes.

"It'll kick in fast, believe me." She grinned and led them across the room to where her desk was, quickly sitting down in the chair.

"Good," he murmured with a smirk. "Cause this is way too early in the morning to be doing... most anything." He gave her a heated look.

Rolling his eyes, Sam moved beside Chloe and sat down next to her. "Don't mind my brother," he said, staring at the computer screen, "he's just cranky in the morning."

She smirked. Cranky was one way to put it, she thought as her fingers flew across the keyboard with rapid strokes, pulling up the access screen to LuthorCorp.

Dean shot a glare at his brother. "Point out my other good qualities, why don't you?" he complained, taking a long drink of his cooling coffee.

With a sigh, Sam tried to ignore Dean's retorts and watch how quickly this girl seemed to get into a major database without breaking a sweat. "You do this often, I'm guessing," he replied casually, trying to hide his awe.

She blushed a little, glancing at him sideways. "Something like that."

His eyes starting to come into focus, Dean noticed the personnel files she had accessed using the LuthorCorp mainframe database. "Oh, my money's on you any day, sweetheart," Dean replied with a smile, watching her blush grow a little deeper with his words.

She felt her face grow warm at the compliment. She wasn't used to having this much male attention on her and she wasn't quite sure how to react. The thoughts left her mind as she began to read over Lex's files, sucking in a sharp breath of surprise as she recognized names of victims. "Shit," she whispered, voice almost inaudible.

"What is it?" the brothers asked, almost simultaneously. Sam leaned in, glancing at the names, recognizing them from his own research, though he wondered if she had actually known them.

"All the victims are other meteor freaks," she murmured, swallowing hard.

"Wait a minute," Dean muttered under his breath, crouching next to her to get a better read from the screen. The scent of her perfume assailed his nostrils, making him close his eyes for a brief second to enjoy it. One thing was for sure, he grudgingly admitted. He would miss this one when they left town. "What does that mean? This thing's targeting specific people?"

"Looks like,” she whispered, feeling the color drain from her face. "Excuse me for a moment." She quickly stood up, yanked her cell phone from her purse and headed off into the far corner of the room, dialing Oliver Queen's number.

When Oliver heard his phone ring, he thought for a moment it might have been Lois. Seeing Chloe Sullivan's number, however, did put a small smile on his face. "Ms. Sullivan," he said after he answered. "Nice to hear from you."

She wished she had time for formalities. "Likewise. Is my mother secure?" she asked anxiously.

He glanced around him, making sure none of his other comrades was around. "As they say... snug as a bug in a rug," he whispered, frowning. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Apparently the latest Smallville meteor freak is taking out his own kind," she said grimly.

Oliver was taken slightly aback by this news. "How is that possible? I didn't think... Haven't they mostly gone after people they held grudges against or situations like that?"

Dean watched Chloe's face, dark with concern, and looked at Sam. He wanted to know what was going on, but something told him to cool it until she looked more collected.

"Don't look at me, Dude." Sam slid himself in front of Chloe's computer, scanning the list of names with furrowed brows.

"Mostly. Yeah. Maybe he's trying to save someone else from being subjected to 33.1," she murmured, feeling ill.

Oliver winced at the name of Luthor's facilities, which seemed to crop up faster than he and his comrades could take them out. "Is Luthor controlling him?" he asked.

She paused. "I don't know. I don't think so. I think he's...just an escapee." She drew in a breath. "Thanks for taking care of everything with...you know. I'll be in touch."

"Hey, let me know if there's anything we can do, okay?" he whispered quietly.

"I will. Thanks," she said again softly before hanging up the phone.

Dean straightened up and stood, watching Chloe return to her desk, eyes downcast and worried. "Everything alright?" he asked.

She gave him a short nod. "Yeah, everything's fine. Did you guys find anything else?" she asked, drawing in a breath to try and calm her nerves.

"It looks like the victims all lived on a route out of Smallville... and towards Metropolis." Sam looked up at Chloe, then glanced at Dean.

"How much you wanna bet this thing's in town?" the eldest Winchester asked, staring at Chloe carefully.

It took every ounce of effort she had to keep her expression one of neutrality. "It's a him, not a thing. And we better find him before he finds his next victim."

He snorted at the sharp tone in her voice. "Okay, whatever. It, him... what's the difference?"

"Dean, not now," Sam replied, giving his brother a look.

She winced a little involuntarily, picking her purse up off her desk, her eyes distant. She checked inside to make sure the small handgun was still there, and sure enough her fingertips brushed over the cold steel. "Let's go.”

Dean's arm shot out, grabbing her firmly by the arm. "Whoa there," he stated evenly, his eyes filled with amused determination. "You're not going anywhere. Sam and I have this."

Her eyes were dark and narrowed as she turned to face him, her mouth set in a hard line. "I'm going. And you can't stop me."

"Wanna bet?" His voice was icy steel, matching the glint in the angry green orbs staring back at him.

"Dean," Sam said, looking at his brother, "let her go." Something told him Chloe would be more help than a hindrance, though for the life of him he couldn't state why.

"No way, Sam," he replied, never looking away from her. "I'm not going to have her blood on my hands if she ends up dead." His grip on her arm tightened with his words.

Her jaw tightening, she yanked her arm away from him, glaring at him furiously. "I have news for you, Dean* This is my town. My home. I've spent the last six years of my life dealing with situations like these so get over yourself. I'm going." Not giving him a chance to respond, she spun and headed for the door, her boots clicking on the floor loudly.

For a moment, Dean watched her walk away. It was all he could do to hit something, for all the anger he felt at her icy response. "Who the hell does she think she is?" he muttered under his breath, eyes following her up the stairs, filled with frustrated admiration.

Sam smiled faintly. "I dunno, man, but I think you've met your match." He took off after the petite blonde, leaving his brother to stew for a moment before reluctantly following them out of the Daily Planet and to the Impala.

&&&&&

Chloe sat in the backseat, staring out the window, her body tense. She flinched a little when her cell phone rang and she quickly plucked it from her purse, seeing Clark's number on the Caller ID. Drawing in a breath, she pressed the on button and put the phone to her ear. "Hey. Not really a good time, Clark."

Who the hell is Clark? Dean thought, his teeth grinding in irritation. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white from the effort.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Sam glanced at Dean, saw his jealousy, and grinned brightly. "Careful, Dean, don't break the steering wheel in half."

"Shut up, dude," he grumbled in response, ignoring the blonde's curious look from the back.

"Why, what's wrong?" Clark asked, worry in his voice. "Are you with that Dean guy?"

She shook her head a little. "Yeah, I am. Where are you?"

"At home. Mom needed me around the farm today," he replied, looking out the loft window. "What's going on? Seriously, are you in some kind of trouble?"

A wry smile tugged at her lips. "No. At least not yet. Working on it though."

Dean glared at her in the rearview mirror. "Hey, you going to help me out with the directions or what?" he demanded.

Clark chuckled, having heard the other man's remark loud and clear. "Your guy sounds jealous, Chloe."

She rolled her eyes, half-annoyed and half-amused. "Hold on, Clark." She covered the phone with one hand. "See this road we're on? You just keep going straight. Think you can handle that, tough guy? Or should I drive?"

He snorted. "No, I'd much rather have you in my lap so you can help me steer."

Her jaw dropped open for a moment. "You need professional help," she huffed, putting the phone back to her ear. "Clark, I really gotta go."

"Nice going," Sam murmured under his breath, trying hard to keep from laughing out loud at the exchange between these two. He wasn't sure which one would come out the victor, but one thing was certain... he wasn't going to be around when the energy between them combusted.

Clark stifled a snicker. "Have fun keeping him under control. He sounds like a real time bomb."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks, Clark. I appreciate that. By the way, Lois was talking about coming to stay with you guys for a few days. I told her I'm sure your mom wouldn't mind."

"Very funny, Chloe," he retorted in a low, irritable voice. "I know you're joking about that... aren't you?"

"Professional help," Dean muttered under his breath, stepping on the gas slightly. "I am the help. What's your excuse?"

She smirked. "Have fun with that, Clark." She hung up her phone and then shot Dean a glare. "And I heard that."

"Then I'd like an answer," he demanded, his voice hard as nails.

"Guys," Sam said, pinching his nose in mock weariness, "can you two tone the tension down a notch? I don't think the Impala will take the pressure."

"Hey, don't look at me!" Dean nearly shouted, reaching for the knob on the radio to turn it up. "She's the one who started it with her I gotta take care of everything myself attitude."

"Look, I don't know what kind of chicks you're used to dealing with," she said in a low, annoyed voice. "But I'm not some damsel in distress, all right? I can take care of myself."

"Then if you're so damned competent, how come we're in the middle of nowhere, sister?" came the seething retort.

She rolled her eyes. "Because we're in Kansas, Dumbass. We are in the middle of nowhere. That's what's between Metropolis and Smallville."

"So you're telling me we'll find the Cretan from LuthorCorp among the lovely rows of corn?" Dean stated in a calm, evenly sarcastic voice. "Wow, that's going to be a great trip down memory lane. Especially since we're FROM Kansas!"

Sam simply shook his head and kept his gaze firmly out the window. The explosion might come sooner than he had originally thought.

"Smallville's the meteor freak capital of the world. The guy's going after other meteor freaks. Odds are pretty high he'll be in town."

"How nice that all the freaks seem to stick to their hometown," Dean retorted, seeing a look of angry pain flash across her face.

"Screw you," she muttered, staring out the window, her jaw tense.

"Nice job, Dean," Sam replied with a smirk. "Now that you've pissed her off, maybe you'd like to toss her out the window, too?" He shook his head sadly, glancing at the stony face of his brother.

Dean said nothing, just kept driving straight into Smallville. Again. He couldn't understand why the whole 'meteor freak' thing bothered her so much. Was one of her friends a freak? he thought absently, wishing there was a way to ask her. He doubted, though, she'd ever speak to him again.

As soon as the car pulled to a stop along Main Street, Chloe was out of the backseat, purse strapped across her body as she headed away.

Sam wasn't surprised to watch her walk down the street, not looking back. Nor was he especially shocked to see Dean sitting there in the driver's seat, watching her leave. "You know, for a hunter, you're pretty stupid," he remarked, a wry smile on his face.

"Shut up, Sammy," Dean mumbled, not paying much attention to his brother.

"So you're going to let her go, then? That's not like you. Usually you're the one to let go."

Taking a deep breath, he nodded. He hated to admit it, but Sam was right about that. And since he knew where she was going, he couldn't very well let her go it alone. No matter how capable she thought she was. "Shadow us, dude," he said, getting out of the car and running after her.

Chloe heard his footsteps but didn't turn around to look as she unlocked the door to her Yaris, her body tense as she pulled the door open.

"Hey," he called, catching up to her quickly. "Wait just a minute. You can't just go off half-cocked on your one-woman quest to find this dude."

"I'm not going half-cocked," she informed him, climbing behind the wheel of her car.

"Funny," he replied with a smirk, noticing the angry flash in her eyes, "you really have me convinced." He grabbed her hand, preventing her from shutting the driver's side door.

"Let go of me," she said darkly, her voice even.

"Hell no," he retorted angrily. "You're not doing this alone."

"Let go of me or I'm going to scream and you're gonna get your ass arrested by that nice police officer across the street. And somehow I doubt very much you want to get tossed in jail considering your history. "

Her icy voice shocked him, confused him. Dean abruptly let her go. "Fine," he replied darkly, stepping back, glancing at the cop out of the corner of his eye. "It's your funeral." With that, he turned and stomped off, infuriated by her irritation at him. Especially when he didn't do anything.

She felt a momentary flash of guilt but pushed it away, slamming the driver's side door shut and throwing her car into gear, her eyes narrow and focused as she headed toward the one place she knew she'd find the information she needed now. The Luthor mansion.

Dean found Sam hiding behind a building. Rolling his eyes, he said, "Come on, Sam, we're gonna follow her." He didn't stop his angry strides, moving quickly towards the Impala.

"Man, when you piss someone off, you do one hell of a job of it," he mumbled.

He stopped up short at the driver's side and glared at Sam. "For once, I didn't do it!" he shouted.

He raised an eyebrow, looking utterly unconvinced. "No, you weren't baiting her the whole way here from Metropolis or anything," he responded, climbing into the passenger seat.

Sliding into the front seat and starting the engine, Dean snarled, "She was the one who started it, making me think she was single when she's really..." He snapped his mouth shut, unwilling to say anything else as he maneuvered the car onto the road, following Chloe from a decent distance.

"Dude, does it matter? As soon as this case is over, we're moving on anyway." He glanced at his brother sideways, wondering how Dean would react to those words.

He blew out an irritated breath. "Yeah, who cares?" he muttered, even though he knew it was lie. He cared about her, more than he wanted to admit.

And he didn't know why.

&&&&&

Chloe pulled her car into the long driveway, shaking her head with faint annoyance when she realized they'd followed her all the way here. Then again, some small part of her was relieved that she wouldn't be walking into the lion's den without any backup. If nothing else, they at least knew where she'd gone. Drawing in a breath, she grabbed her purse and climbed out of the car, turning to see them doing the same.

Dean grimaced when he realized, pulling up next to her car, that she was waiting for them. "Dammit," he whispered, getting out of the car. "Must be losing my touch."

Grimacing, Sam opened the passenger side door. "I'm not touching that with a ten foot pole," he muttered to himself, looking at Chloe curiously.

She rolled her eyes at their obvious dismay. "No offense, but if you're gonna tail someone, you might wanna A) get a different car and B) not follow me."

One, we didn't have time to steal a car to tail you," Dean smarted back, counting on his fingers, "and two, you're not as good as you think you are."

"Dean!" Sam hissed under his breath, looking around the large driveway, wondering when the security would grab them. He didn't like the feel of this place. Something was... off about it.

She smirked at Dean. "Actually I think it's the other way around," she remarked, before seeing the uncertain wariness in Sam's eyes. "Yeah, this isn't exactly the Hilton." She turned around and nodded at the guard, who offered her a wary smile and let them pass.

"Fine, sister, have it your way," Dean grumbled, shooting Sam a look before following her past the guard and into the mansion.

"Is this the Luthor place?" Sam asked cautiously, every fiber in his being on high alert. The last thing he and Dean needed was a run-in with this man. And it wasn't because he was reputed to be dangerous.

"Got it in one," she said grimly, lifting her chin as she headed down the long corridor toward Lex's study, where she knew she'd find him.

"Why are we here?" Dean demanded in a hoarse whisper, only inches behind her.

"Because if anyone knows where this son of a bitch is, it's Lex."

"Great," he muttered under his breath.

Sam pulled up from behind, his fingers itching to grab the weapon he had hidden in his jeans. He felt eyes watching their every move since arriving. He feared one wrong move and everything would go to hell.

"Relax," she said, reaching out and touching his arm gently, sensing his anxiety. "You guys can stay out here." She reached out and grabbed the doorknob to the study, not bothering to knock.

"Chloe," Dean replied, putting his hand over hers. "Don't go in there by yourself. Could be dangerous." His eyes were dark with unspoken concern.

She met his gaze, drawing in a breath, and nodding slightly. "All right." Her eyes flickered to Sam. "You're welcome to wait out here if you want."

"Thanks," Sam replied hesitantly, looking around cautiously. "Think I will."

Dean turned to look at his brother, nodding to be careful. He then followed Chloe into the double doors and into the large expansive office.

Lex smirked as he looked up from his computer. "Somehow I knew it wouldn't take you long to show up here."

Chloe's eyes were ice cold. "Where is he?"

"Who?" he asked innocently.

"You know who, Baldy," Dean practically snarled, standing next to Chloe. "The meteor freak who's killing his own kind."

Lex smirked and shifted his gaze to Dean. "Nice to see you again. Guess you intended to get lost in this corn-row town after all. Not that I'm surprised." He looked at Chloe, his smirk widening. "But you should know Chloe will never get over her one true love who has absolutely no interest in her at all whatsoever. Will you?"

"Screw you, Lex. Where is he?" she demanded.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Don't worry, Chloe. Your mother's safely guarded in Star City by Oliver Queen. You on the other hand..."

Her face paled.

Confused but pissed, Dean grabbed Chloe's hand and held it tightly, though he never took his eyes off the cool, collected, way too confident rich man. "Get this, Luthor," he said darkly, his anger veiled behind a mask of neutrality. "You're not touching this woman, you hear me? Or her mother... or anyone remotely connected to her. And if you do, believe when I say I'm going to hunt you down and put a bullet in your brain."

Lex didn't look the least bit intimidated, simply smirked. "If you two are through with the petty threats, I have work to do."

"Like more human experimentation?" Chloe asked coldly.

"Chloe. I don't experiment on humans. Only on monsters." He gazed at her coolly.

"Would that include you?" Dean said with a small laugh, squeezing Chloe's hand slightly, tugging her back towards the door. "Because to me? You're a monster."

She was trembling, unnerved by his words and cursing herself inwardly for letting Lex Luthor get the best of her again. Wordlessly she turned and headed out the door, her face pale.

Dean stayed for a moment, assessing Lex Luthor carefully. He looked like a formidable man, though there was something about him that suggested it was all a sham. He was surprised to see that in him. "We'll be watching you," he said simply, turning and following Chloe out the doors.

"Likewise," Lex responded as the man left his office.

Dean grabbed Chloe's arm and led her down the hall towards the front door. "Okay, what was all that about?" he asked her, ignoring the sharp look Sam gave him.

She didn't answer for a moment as she drew in a shaky breath. "We can't talk about this here." Her voice was low and when he let go of her arm, she grabbed onto his, pulling him toward the exit, glancing to make sure Sam was still behind them.

"Let's get out of here," Sam whispered, moving quickly behind them, practically pushing them out the front door and to their cars.

"Let's go back to the hotel," Dean suggested decisively, a little surprised at her sudden need to touch him. "We can talk there."

"Yeah. All right. I'll follow you guys this time." She made a beeline for her car, yanking her keys from her purse with a trembling hand.

Sam grabbed the keys from Dean's hand and gave him a look. "Dean, ride with her," he stated, watching Chloe's hurried movements. "Something's wrong with her, and it's not just about Uncle Fester."

Looking towards the blonde, who was already in the driver's seat, Dean nodded solemnly. "If she'll let me..." He walked to the passenger side and opened the door, sliding in without a word.

She didn't say anything to the fact he'd climbed in her car instead of his own. Swallowing hard, she slid the keys into the ignition, her face ghostly white as she locked the doors, waiting impatiently for Sam to back the Impala up so she could get out of there.

Once Sam had gotten the Impala onto the road, Dean let out a breath. "He better handle her with kid gloves," he muttered, glancing at Chloe's white face, wondering what was going on behind those riotous green eyes.

Her fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly, she shook her head just a little. "Great. I had sex with a guy who's in love with his car," she mumbled.

"What?" he asked sharply, a slow smile curving his lips. "My dad gave me that car. She's kinda important to me."

She cast a sideways glance at him. "Sorry. When I'm tense I get bitchy." She looked in her rearview, watching Sam back out of the driveway and she quickly did the same, her knuckles nearly white.

Touching her fingers gently, he whispered, "It's okay. Kinda used to it with Sammy." He winked at her, not showing the intense fear that had crept into his heart. Something was definitely wrong with her, he realized. Something Lex Luthor had mentioned... about her mother? About her? He needed the full story.

The gentle touch almost undid her but she swallowed hard, blinking back the tears forming rapidly behind her eyelids. "Sam's bitchy?"

"Oh yeah," he replied, his voice gentle. "You should see him after researching without his computer for several hours. There's no reasoning with him." His hand moved from hers to cup her cheek gently.

Meanwhile Sam had gotten out of the car and headed for the motel room, telling himself Dean had ten minutes to make things right with Chloe before he intervened.

She shifted the car into park position, closing her eyes against the light touch and shuddering involuntarily.

"Yeah," he continued, stroking her cheek softly, rubbing his thumb against her throat. "Sam's a real pain in the ass when he hasn't had his daily dose of computer time." Something had shifted in her attitude, because suddenly she was leaning into his touch, not doing whatever it took to move away.

Wordlessly she rested her head down on his shoulder, barely able to contain a soft sob as she shuddered again.

His free arm unbuckled her seatbelt so he could pull her closer, enveloping her in his embrace. He held his breath, unsure of what to say or do, aside from this. Tears were never something he was good at handling, he thought, but it seemed she needed... something.

Chloe shut her eyes tightly, letting his arms encircle her and pull her closer against him so there was no space between them. His hand lightly stroked her hair and she swallowed hard, letting out a breath. "Sorry," she whispered.

He shook his head, feeling her silken hair thread through his fingers. "No, it's okay," he grunted against the top of her head, kissing her lightly. "Come on, let's get inside." He pushed her back and lifted her chin, gazing intently into her sorrowful green eyes.

She gave a quick, consenting nod and reached for the door handle, swallowing hard.

Sam heard the room door open and looked up from his seated position on one of the beds. Chloe, looking like she hadn't seen daylight in awhile, walked inside, a smile plastered on her face. "Hey," he called, standing up. When Dean strode in behind her, Sam knew they were in for a long conversation.

She didn't sit down, just began to slowly pace the floor, raking a hand through her blonde curls. "Lex knows where he is."

"How do you know?" Sam asked, though he had figured Lex knew a great deal more about everything.

"Because Lex knows more about the meteor freaks in this town than anyone. It's his life's work," she said with a hint of bitterness.

Dean cleared his throat uncomfortably, watching her move about the room like a caged tiger. "So since the man himself won't tell us... how can we find out where to find this guy?"

"I'm sure he's got a lot of firewalls to crack," Sam replied, glancing at Chloe, "but can't we crack them?"

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "I wish it was that easy. The information we need isn't accessible via LuthorCorp. It's somewhere else. Hidden. I have no idea where."

Sam frowned and looked at Dean. "Aside from the obvious pattern of killings so far, we don't have a way to track it... him, then."

Dean shrugged his shoulders, feeling, for the first time, like he wasn't sure where to go next. He gazed at Chloe, who had not stopped roaming around. "So tell me why Lex Luthor has a funny knack of getting under your skin," he stated casually.

"You're not exactly right about that, Sam," she whispered, a thought dawning on her that hadn't occurred to her before.

Feeling a little ignored, Dean frowned and turned away from her, lying back on the bed and lacing his fingers under his head. "Do tell us, Chloe," he replied as evenly as possible.

Sam shot his brother a look. "What do you mean?" he asked her.

She stopped pacing and looked at them both for a moment, hesitant. "We just have to set a trap."

"What kind of trap?" Sam cocked his head at her comment, absolutely curious and utterly frustrated by Dean's obvious pouting.

"Well, he's going after other meteor freaks." She gazed at him for a moment, then looked at Dean.

Dean stared at the ceiling, ignoring the two sets of eyes on him. "Oh yeah? Got a list of their names so we can knock on their doors?" he asked casually.

"We don't need a list. We just need one for bait."

Sam made a face, realizing what she was telling them. "Chloe, are you trying to tell us that... you're...?"

She avoided his eyes and looked away from Dean. "Yeah. I'm a freak too," she said, her voice distant.

Dean shot up off the bed in the blink of an eye, an indescribable look on his face. "The hell you are," he growled slowly.

"Hang on," Sam whispered, looking at her in surprise. "What exactly does that mean, anyway?"

She wrapped her arms around herself, leaning back against the door. "It means any day now I'm likely to turn into some kind of monster. Or at the very least...a very insane person."

"Not if I can help it," Dean insisted, standing up and moving towards her, determination on his features.

"Dude, give her a little space," Sam remarked calmly, feeling anything but. The last thing they needed was a potential time bomb on their hands. It didn't matter that he was beginning to like the girl.

"You can't." She looked at Dean evenly, her expression as distant as her voice. "But right now we have to focus on Smallville's latest meteor-freak turned killer before he hurts someone else."

"And... what, use you as bait?" he demanded, inches from her face. "How is that a good thing?"

Chloe gazed at him intently. "Because it's the only way to stop him."

"She's right, Dean," Sam said quietly, looking at his hands. "It's the only way."

He turned to look at his brother, anger showing in his eyes. "That's crap. There's another way. We're not going to do *anything* that could put her in danger, dammit!"

"Hey." She reached out and touched his arm. "If you only knew how often I was in danger, you'd be laughing right now," she said wryly.

He started at her gentle touch. "Doesn't mean you have to be in danger while we're around," he replied, looking deeply into her eyes.

"I'm not really seeing much of an alternative here, Dean." Her voice was quiet.

Sam nodded in agreement, eyes still focused on the floor.

"Fine," he replied firmly. "I'm going with you, then. Let Sam do all the legwork."

A smile tugged at her lips at the protective tone of his voice. "As sweet as that is...it may take both of you and me to take this guy down." She bit her lip, wishing she could call Clark. She wasn't willing to do that and risk anyone finding out about Clark's other-worldly identity. No matter how much she thought these guys were truly just there to help.

"Yeah, Dean," Sam retorted, looking up. "I'm not going to sit back and watch you two die. You know how stupid that sounds?"

"What, you mean that's not as stupid as agreeing that Chloe should be the freaking bait?" he shot back.

"You know it has to be done." Sam stood up and moved to look out the window carefully. The feeling of being watched had descended upon him again. "Does anyone know you're here, Chloe?" he asked suddenly.

"I don't think so...why?" she asked uncertainly, watching him look out the blinds and suddenly feeling on edge again, her heartbeat speeding up a little more.

"No reason," he whispered in response. "I just feel like... someone's watching us, that's all."

Dean ran a hand through his hair and went to the door, locking it. "Great, can things get any better?" he muttered under his breath.

Sam closed the window dressing slowly, returning them to their original position. He turned to look at Chloe. "It's probably nothing."

Dean gave him a yeah, right look.

"We're in Smallville," she murmured. "It's always something." She set her purse on the nearest bed, and pulled her gun out.

"Could be the meteor fr-- uh, the dude who's been killing people," Dean corrected himself, moving to his bag and pulling out the rocksalt for the door and windows. Sam cocked an eyebrow at him and he shrugged at him. "Just in case," he replied.

"Or Lex's having me watched," she responded, moving to the window and looking out.

"Either way, it's not a good idea to be near the window," Dean replied, pulling on her arm. He tossed the rocksalt to Sam. "Salt the doors and windows for me, dude."

Sam snorted. "What am I now, your lackey?" He walked through the connecting door, though, starting with Chloe's room first.

"I don't think he likes me very much," she said softly, tucking some hair behind her ear. Not that it really mattered in the long run.

"Sam? He's actually still pissed at me for that last run-in with the Feds," Dean replied, trying to throw off the nagging feeling that maybe Chloe reminded Sam too much of what he could become one day.

She arched an eyebrow. "You mean when you guys were actually in prison? What was that all about anyway?"

His eyes grew wide and anxious. "What the hell do you know about it?" he asked instantly, taking another step away from her.

She gazed at him with a well duh look. "Do you really think I would have gone to bed with you without knowing if you were some psycho out to kill me?"

He smirked. "Last time I checked, I wasn't the psycho. I might be wanted by the law, but I'm not evil."

"Yeah, well live in Smallville for a few years and see if you don't take every precaution when it comes to dating. I haven't exactly had a great track record," she said wryly.

He crossed his arms and stared at her. "Does that include this dude Clark you talked to earlier today?"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Clark and I never dated."

"But you love him."

Chloe stared at him for a moment, not sure how to respond to that. "Things with Clark are...complicated."

Okay, not quite what I wanted to hear, Dean thought, turning his back to her and sitting heavily on the bed. He heard Sam's footsteps, pausing for a moment at the connecting door, then retreating again. Funny, he thought. He didn't know what kind of answer he wanted from her. "Which usually means all that love crap's involved," he muttered under his breath.

She winced a little. "Doesn't exactly matter anyway." For more than one reason, she thought, not quite understanding what was going on in his mind.

"Why not?" he asked quietly, lying back on the bed once more, attempting to keep the situation light. "Because you think you're going to turn evil?"

A wry smile touched her lips. "Because Clark Kent wouldn't be interested in me if I was the only female left on the planet and we had to breed to continue the species," she responded.

Dean fought back a smile. "This dude's a moron, then," he replied quietly, not looking at her.

She glanced out the window nervously, surprised she was having such an intimate conversation with a person who was basically a stranger. "He's in love with someone else."

He rolled his eyes and sat up, looking at her blonde hair cascading across her shoulders. "Why are you bothering with this guy? You're so much better than that." He didn't know *how* he knew that; call it instinct.

"You barely know me," she answered, her heart skipping a beat.

When she turned around and met his eyes, Dean felt a funny twist in his gut. Not altogether unpleasant, though he didn't need this, he thought. "No, but I'm good at reading people... believe it or not." He smiled slightly, holding her gaze.

She gazed at him intently. "So you figured out I was a freak before we slept together?" There was a hint of teasing in her voice.

His grin turned seductive. "Yeah, pretty much," he rasped, his body tight with need.

A chill ran down her spine at the look on his face. Surely he wasn't still interested in her now that he knew the truth about her. She swallowed hard as she watched him rise to his feet.

"What?" he whispered, taken back by the uncertainty in her eyes. His feet halted momentarily, inches from her face. He cupped her chin and pulled her eyes up to meet his.

"What are you doing?" she whispered back, the breath hitching in her throat.

A shadow crossed his face. "Trying to come on to you," he whispered honestly. "But if you don't want me to..." His words were cut off when she abruptly move into him, touching her lips to his suddenly.

Her fingers threaded through his short hair and she pulled him closer to her, her back bumping against the door as she kissed him urgently.

Grabbing her around the waist, Dean hauled her up against him, using the door to prop her up as his mouth plundered hers, tongue sliding against her mouth, asking for entrance.

She whimpered softly, letting her lips part to allow him access, her legs winding around his waist of their own volition as she raked her nails lightly down his back.

Her hips rocked against his hardness, making him groan. His body strained against hers, grinding against her impatiently. Hands sliding across her back and against her hair, he propelled her off the door, moving backwards while their mouths moved together, seeking, giving, taking.

She groaned as she felt her back suddenly land on the bed as he crawled over her. She leaned up and kissed him again, her hands sliding down to grip the bottom of his t-shirt and quickly pulling it off over his head, tossing it onto the floor.

Her hands skirted across his chest, leaving goose bumps in their wake. "Chloe," he grunted, sliding his fingers under her shirt and tugging it over her head, sliding fingers down her neck to her full breasts, his mouth following.

She closed her eyes, shuddering beneath him as his mouth moved over the material of her bra and lower to her stomach. "Please," she whispered.

He chuckled, licking her belly button, feeling her jerk beneath his touch. "Please what?" he whispered, his fingers slipping under her jeans to unbutton them.

"Make love to me." Her voice was soft, vulnerable.

He paused and looked up at her. "Though that's what I was doing," he commented, teasing her breasts lightly with his thumbs.

She groaned softly at the light caresses, her heart already pounding furiously in her chest.

Smirking a little, his mouth teased her pert nipples, feeling her body rippling with desire, making him hard and ready for her already. Moving back, he stripped her jeans off roughly, sliding his hands up her legs, spreading her thighs wide, admiring her beauty while he shrugged out of the remainder of his clothing. "Freak my ass," he whispered.

Chloe licked her lips, gazing up and reaching for him to pull him closer, kissing his mouth as her hands slid down his shoulder blades.

Grabbing a thin piece of foil from his wallet, Dean moved over her body again, ripping the foil open and rolling it on. His finger then slipped into her and he groaned at how ready she was for him, though they had done little more than touch each other.

She whimpered softly as he pulled his finger back, already feeling its loss. Her body was on fire with need and she bit her lower lip as he slid over her once more. "Now, please," she whispered.

He needed no more urging; pulling out his finger, he lifted her hips and plunged into her swiftly, taking a moment to savor the feel of her inner muscles stretching for him, massaging his thickness as she pulled him into her. When he moved, she moaned loudly, going with him. He rode her hard and fast, compelled by her nails digging into his back.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper into her and crying out softly at the sensation, his mouth capturing the sound as he kissed her. She closed her eyes tightly, already feeling her climax building, fueled by need and desperation and desire and the fact that someone actually knew what she really was and wanted her to despite it.

Her frantic straining against his body kept Dean from being easy on her, pounding against her mercilessly, her loud moaning ringing in his ears. His name on her lips, he brought them both over the edge, shuddering together as he wrapped himself inside her one last time with a hard thrust.

She bit down so hard on her tongue, she tasted blood even as the pleasure washed over her in waves, her hand still clutching him tightly to her as she shut her eyes.

With an intense shudder, Dean collapsed on to of her, his breathing heavy. He touched her lips gently with his, tasting the blood on her lips. He pulled back, his eyes dark with concern. His arms snaked around her, waiting for her body to calm.

She swallowed hard as he rolled them so she was resting on top of him, her hair damp as her ear pressed against his chest. She shuddered involuntarily, her breathing starting to slow down.

He touched her lip, felt the indentations, and couldn't hold back a smirk. "Damn," he whispered huskily, "I must be good." He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest.

She rolled her eyes at his remark. "You're also the most arrogant guy I've ever met."

Pulling her up to face him, Dean looked at her flushed face and those irritated green eyes. "Yeah, I know I am," he replied honestly, kissing her full lips. "Thank God I'm good looking, right?"

She groaned, kissing him back and then resting her forehead against his collarbone.

He sighed for a moment before tensing suddenly. He remembered Sam's words, that he had felt someone watching them. "If you said Luthor knew where this guy was, then do you think he's having us watched?" he asked quietly, serious now.

The second the words were out of his mouth, she was rolling off him, her own body tense once more as she started yanking on her clothes. "Not a doubt in my mind," she whispered.

So much for after-sex conversation, he thought, scooting off the bed and shrugging into his jeans. "Wonder what Sam's got cooking next door." Without looking at her, he strode to the connecting door and pounded hard. "Hey, you better not be watching porn in there!"

Yanking the knob on the other side, Sam opened the door and glared at the smug look on Dean's face. "Funny, Dean," he retorted, unwilling to mention how he had to turn up "The Andy Griffin Show" at full blast so he could research without listening to the events in the other room.

Chloe's face flushed with embarrassment and she moved toward the window, peeking out the blind. Almost immediately a shot rang out, shattering the glass and sending her tumbling backwards.

"Shit!" Dean cried, ducking to the floor quickly before crawling towards Chloe.

Sam ran for his gun, crouching down low. "Hey, you alright?" he asked Chloe, who had landed on her backside hard, her eyes wide with fright.

"I'm fine," she said, looking down at the shattered glass all around, her hands bleeding from various cuts. Another shot rang out and she flattened herself on the floor, closing her eyes tightly.

"Don't get up, dammit," Dean growled, searching for his weapon. "It's probably Luthor's guys. Maybe that freak who's on the people killing spree. I don't know. But no way you're dying on my watch."

Sighing and peeking just above the shattered glass, Sam muttered, "Can she be even less impressed?" He peered into the failing light, looking for movement, a shadow. Anything.

Chloe crawled over to the table where her purse was, yanking it down quickly and pulling her own handgun out. "You see anything?" she whispered to Sam.

"No," he whispered, frustrated beyond words. He knew something was out there... but just what it was, he didn't know. "I'm going out there." The last comment was directed at Dean, who was making his way towards the door.

"What? No, dude," Dean snapped in reply. "This asshole's mine." He glanced at Chloe, pale yet determined, her hands grasping the small gun. He fought back a smile, impressed.

"If it's Lex, there's more than one," she informed them, staying close to the ground, her heart thundering in her chest. "You can't just walk out there."

"Then stay here," he told her in a commanding voice. "Sam, come with me."

"Where are you going?" she whispered, her eyes wide.

He rolled his eyes. "Outside to kill the bad guy," he replied in a hushed tone, slowly turning the knob.

Sam looked at Dean. "Dude, I can't see anything. They might be snipers for all we know, and there's no cover out there."

"So?"

"So... I hate gunshot wounds, Dean." Sam shot him an irritated, impatient look.

Dean groaned. "Dude, we can't just sit here and let them make pot shots at us whenever we get close to the window!"

"Sam's right," she hissed. "The second you step out that door you're gonna get shot. We need to find another way out of here." She glanced toward the bathroom.

Dean glowered, hating to be told what to do. "Fine, you two find another way out. I'm going this way." He indicated for the front door with his gun, then slowly cracked the door open, glancing outside for the nearest car for cover.

Hearing another gunshot, feeling the bullet hit the front door, made him abruptly change his mind. He slammed the door shut and looked around.

"Don't make me tell you I told you so," Sam said wryly, making towards the bathroom.

"Shut up, dude," Dean grumbled quietly.

Grabbing her purse, Chloe followed Sam quickly, gun clutched tightly in her hands. There was a window, but it wasn't very big. "Shit," she said under her breath.

Sam was standing, trying to pry the window open. "Gonna be a tight squeeze," he grumbled under his breath, his face screwed up with concentration.

"Yeah, if you're a contortionist," Dean remarked, nearly bumping into Chloe, who was standing in the doorway. Another shot rang out, the sound reverberating in the room. "Hurry up, Sam," he continued.

"Almost... there. Got it." He hauled himself up, able to squeeze through the small opening. Legs slid out and Sam disappeared.

Dean pushed Chloe towards the window. "You next," he whispered close to her ear.

She hesitated a moment, glancing back at him. She tossed her purse out the window and almost smiled a little as he lifted her up. She grimaced a little as she wiggled out the frame and tumbled to the ground.

Sam grabbed her up roughly, pulling her away from the window. "Impala's this way," he said. "Come on."

"No." She pulled her hand away, looking up at the window, her heart beating quickly in her chest as she waited for Dean.

Dean's head popped out of the window, frowning deeply. "What the hell are you two waiting for?" he whispered urgently. "Get out of here. I'm coming!"

"Hurry up," she whispered urgently, flinching as she heard a couple more shots ring out, closer this time. Like they were in the room now. Her eyes widened as Dean landed at her feet with a hard thud, blood slowly spreading across his jacket. "Oh God."

"Shit," he groaned, rolling onto his back, his side on fire from the bullets making impact before he could get out of the window.

Sam, shocked, looked down at his older brother. "Dammit, Dean," he muttered, grabbing his brother's arms and swinging them around his neck, picking Dean up quickly and heading for the Impala as fast as he could. "Chloe!" he yelled.

She was only a couple steps behind, her heart thundering as she followed quickly, glancing over her shoulder as they ran. She quickly climbed into the backseat where Sam placed Dean. She shucked her jean jacket off quickly, pressing it against the wound in Dean's stomach.

A dull roar ran through Dean's ears, and he swore loudly at the light pressure being put on his burning body. His eyes rolled in the back of his head.

"Where's the closest hospital?" Sam asked, starting the Impala, screeching out of the parking lot before any other shots could be fired.

"No... no... hospital," Dean groaned, losing consciousness. "Fine, Sammy."

Chloe ignored him completely. "Smallville Medical Center." She quickly gave him directions before turning her attention to the man beside her, whose face was rapidly draining of all color. "Hurry," she whispered to Sam, swallowing hard as the blood soaked right through the jacket. "I'm sorry. This is gonna hurt." She pressed her hands against the wound, trying to stem the blood flow, and wincing when he growled in pain.

"Stop it Sam," he whispered, uselessly trying to swat Chloe's hands away. "Kill you... stop it." The pain, spreading throughout his body, because excruciating.

"Hang on, Dean," Sam whispered, hammering on the gas. Minutes passed before they reached Smallville Medical Center, and by then, Dean was unconscious.

Leaping out of the car, Sam grabbed the first emergency worker he saw.

Chloe swallowed hard, her eyes blurring with tears as she kept the pressure on his wound. She felt all the air leave her lungs as a white light suddenly filled the car, making her eyes widen as her hands suddenly felt unusually warm.

Sam saw a light emanating from the backseat of the Impala and forgot about everyone else around him. Running to the backseat, he watched as the light, bright as the sun, surrounded Dean, as if something from Chloe passed into him. When the light went out, Chloe collapsed onto Dean's chest, pale and almost deathly. Dean, however, seemed awake and alive.

Sputtering and coughing, Dean opened his eyes and groaned. "What the hell?" he muttered, his head pounding as if he had drunk way too many purple nurples. He then felt Chloe's body pressed against his and startled.

She felt the energy leave her body as though her soul was being drained as she collapsed against him bonelessly, her eyes drifting shut.

"Sam?!" Dean's voice rang loud and clear, despite its gruffness. The pain in his body was gone, and he felt... whole again. Like he had never been shot. He scooted into a sitting position and held onto Chloe.

Sam looked in and frowned. "What the hell?" he whispered, pulling her seemingly lifeless body out of his brother's arms.

"What happened?" he asked impatiently.

"Dude, I don't know. I was going to get help and then I saw this bright light illuminating the whole car. By the time I got here she was collapsing on you. Are you--"

"I'm fine, dammit!" he interrupted, moving out of the car, biting back the stiffness he felt in his body. "We need to admit her." He put a hand to his head, groaning slightly.

Sam cradled her limp body in his arms and quickly turned and headed for the emergency room entrance.

Struggling to keep up with his brother, Dean collapsed into the first chair he could find, trying to get a firm grip on the situation. He felt his clothes sticking to him and touched them firmly, his hands pulling back the blood that covered them. "What the hell?" he whispered, eyes wide as he watched Sam put Chloe on a hospital bed and back off so she could be admitted.

He slowly returned to his brother's side, his eyes wide and face pale as he stared at Dean. "You were shot," he whispered.

"What? Shot?" Dean retorted, a little incredulous. "No, how's that poss--" A feeling passed his heart, a sharp pain followed by numbness. "The window," he muttered to himself, looking down. If he had been shot, then... "Sam, what happened to Chloe?'

"I don't know." His voice was barely audible. "Somehow...somehow she healed you."

"Healed me?" he whispered, glancing up at his brother. " _Healed_ me? You mean to tell me she was... telling the truth with the whole 'I'm a freak' thing?"

Sam looked back at him solemnly.

Putting his head in his blood-stained hands, Dean frowned. And hoped she would be okay. Because either way, he was going after Lex Luthor. The man deserved to die, and Dean Winchester would see that through.


	4. Chapter 4

Sam handed his brother a cup of coffee and slowly sat down beside him in the waiting room outside the ICU. He let out a long breath. "How ya doing?" He glanced at him sideways before sipping his own drink.

"Fine," he grunted, taking a long dreg of his coffee. He made a face. "What's this made out of, battery acid?"

He rolled his eyes a little. "Well, it is from a hospital cafeteria."

He took another sip and grimaced. "These people are trying to kill us, I swear," he grumbled, looking at Sam. "How is she?" He bit back a stab of pain in his side, an obvious reminder that he had most likely died... and that the girl lying in a hospital bed had saved him somehow. He didn't know what to make of that.

"I don't know. They won't tell me anything." He let out a breath and looked around.

"Why? Because we're not family or something?" Dean stood up, groaning as he felt a bolt of pain shoot through his body. "We have to make sure she's okay and not... you know." He gave Sam a look when his brother stood up.

"Yeah, I get it, Dean." He rose to his feet, as well, more than a little weirded out by the whole situation. His brother had been shot, near death and now he was almost in perfect condition while the blonde girl they'd been protecting lay somewhere in the hospital.

Looking down at his body, Dean noticed the bloodstain on his shirt and closed up his jacket. "Dude, I need to change," he whispered, glancing around for scrubs, anything to steal. "Then we need to find Chloe, okay?"

"I saw a closet down the hall to the right. Probably some scrubs or something in there," Sam informed him. "I'll see what I can find out."

"No," he grunted softly, "wait for me, Sammy. I don't want to get shot again." The joke fell short of funny, especially when Sam shot him a glare that nearly shut him up.

"Hurry up." His voice was short and he turned away, feeling uneasy.

"Hello, recently shot here," he grumbled, ducking behind the door Sam had pointed to and snatching a clean white t-shirt and putting it on. He tossed his bloodied shirt into the biohazard bin and wondered for a moment just how Chloe had saved him. Was the bullet still in him? he wondered while making his way back to Sam.

Sam drew in a breath. "Lead the way."

"Gee, thanks," he muttered, heading for the nearest nurse's station. He flashed the young nurse behind the counter his best smile. "Chloe Sullivan, please," he said as pleasantly as possible.

Like most women, the pretty red-headed nurse was unable to resist that particular smile. She smiled back at him and immediately typed something into her computer. "Oh, I'm sorry. She's not here."

His smile faded just a little. "What? How... She was just admitted." He glanced at Sam, who looked just as concerned.

She frowned a little. "Apparently Lex Luthor had her transferred."

Dean's eyes glittered dangerously and narrowed. "What do you mean... transferred?" he growled slowly. The nurse seemed a little shocked by his tone of voice and he cleared his throat. "It's just that... she's my cousin, and I don't know why a total stranger would do that."

"Oh, Mr. Luthor's not a stranger to anyone in this town. He practically owns it."

"Great," Sam said under his breath, looking at his older brother uneasily.

Dean glanced at Sam before turning back to the nurse. "How long ago did he transfer her? Where did they go?"

"It doesn't say. Apparently they left about twenty minutes ago." She shrugged and looked up at him.

He flashed a quick, devastating smile. "Thanks, gorgeous," he whispered, then turned to Sam. "Let's go."

Sam nodded quickly toward the nurse and followed him toward the exit. "Where would he take her? Why would he take her?"

"I don't know," Dean snapped in irritation. "I don't know, okay? But we have to find her." He strode out the front door and looked around for the Impala.

He watched his brother's nearly frantic pace to the car, his eyebrows furrowing. "You like this girl."

Yanking the keys from Sam's hand, Dean unlocked the driver's side door and snorted. "Don't know what you're talking about," he retorted.

Sam stared at him for a moment before climbing into the car. "The hell you don't."

He started the car and nearly squealed the tires getting out of the parking lot. All he could think about was locating Chloe, getting her out of that monster's grasp, and taking care of the meteor freak dude... before they left town. "What, because I wanna make sure she's okay because she saved my sorry ass, that makes me like her?" He gave Sam an irritated glare.

"That and the fact the two of you were going at it like bunnies earlier," he responded wryly.

He made a face. "Oh my God, Sammy! Don't tell me..." He shuddered at the thought of his brother next door, listening.

Sam made a face. "I had to turn the volume up on the television to drown you out."

Dean fought the memory of Chloe's voice, like silk, breathing against him and kept a straight face. "Not my fault she likes to scream. Besides, that doesn't mean I like her, Sam."

"Dude, I know you better than that. This is like Cassie all over again. Except you just met this girl."

Dean winced at his brother's implications and knew them to be true, though he'd never tell Sam that. He didn't know why this blonde haired beauty had gotten under his skin. Or why she seemed to accept his hunter's way of life without questioning it, for that matter. In that, she was nothing like Cassie. Chloe Sullivan was so much more. "What of it, Sam?" he whispered against the wind. "We're leaving once the job's over."

He was silent for a moment, taking that in and picking up the slight hint of bitterness in his brother's tone. He glanced at Dean sideways, wondering what was going on in his mind. "I think she likes you too."

He grunted in response, turning onto the road that led to the Luthor mansion. "Sure she does," he replied.

Deciding to drop it for now, Sam focused on the task at hand: finding Chloe. "What's the plan?"

He gripped the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white. "Kill that son of a bitch," he growled, pressing on the gas.

"I don't understand. Why would he take her? He had the chance before, when we were here earlier. What could he possibly want with her?"

"I have no idea, Sam," Dean sighed in frustration, "unless... Wait, was Chloe conscious when you brought us to the hospital?"

"She was until she healed you," he admitted quietly.

Dean wanted to hit something. His body felt tight with anger, his side splitting from the wound that was still healing. "Dammit," he whispered under his breath. He glanced at Sam. "You think that's her... power? Healing people then going all Obi-Wan on them?"

"Must be," he whispered.

"Then how in the hell are we going to get her out of a trance-like state?" he demanded, turning into the long drive towards the Luthor mansion. "And... is she inside me or something?" The thought made his eyes pool with shock.

Sam stared at Dean wide-eyed. "You mean like--"

He shuddered. "Sam, don't even say that!" He parked the car in a grove of densely packed trees, far enough from the mansion that no one would fine it. "Come on, let's break in and see if we can find her." Without waiting for his brother, Dean got out of the car and walked back to the trunk.

He followed his brother quickly, removing a gun from the trunk and sticking it in the back of his jeans, looking around to see what the security was like. "We're gonna find her." I hope, he added silently.

"Damn right we are," Dean growled, leaving no room for any arguments. He scanned the front of the mansion and found a small door just on the corner of the house. It looked like it led to the basement, and better yet, appeared unguarded. "There," he whispered, pointing. "That's our entrance."

Nodding, Sam slipped quickly over the fence after Dean, following him to the door while looking around for hidden cameras or trip wires.

Tucking his gun into his jacket, Dean pulled out his lock pick, quickly unlocking the door and turning the knob quietly. Darkness lay on the other side, but Dean grabbed his gun out and stepped inside, prepared for the worst.

Once inside, however, he found nothing more than a long, empty corridor.

&&&&&

Chloe woke up slowly, feeling weak and drained like she'd been hit by a truck and left on the road for dead. The room she found herself in was not the room she'd been expecting to see. She was in a hospital bed, but she was definitely not in a hospital. Hospital rooms had windows, and were bustling with activity. They weren't dark, and she generally wasn't tied down. More than that, Lex Luthor wasn't generally in the room. All the air left her lungs. She struggled involuntarily against the restraints binding her hands. "Where the hell am I?" she whispered, her heart pounding.

Lex smiled pleasantly. "Welcome back, Chloe," he said in hushed tones, as if trying to soothe her. "You're going to be just fine."

Fine wasn't a word she particularly believed in, especially not lately. "What am I doing here?"

"Being saved, apparently." His smile turned sardonic. "What's the last thing you remember?"

She stared at him for a moment, trying to think back. "I don't--I don't know." She jerked against the restraints again.

"If you stopped struggling and thought about it, you might remember." Lex was losing his patience with her. It was bad enough those guys she was with had taken her to a public hospital, where people would start asking questions about where she had disappeared to... but now that he knew those two goofballs were looking for her, he had to be careful.

Chloe was silent for a few seconds. "There was gunfire. Your work, no doubt."

He smirked but said nothing.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want, Lex?" she demanded.

He put his hand in his pockets and looked at her. "I don't know what you mean, Chloe," Lex replied in a condescending voice. "I just saved your life. What more could I possibly want?"

"You're a Luthor," she responded tensely. "You always have another motive."

A small scoff escaped his lips. "Oh ye of little faith," he replied softly, leaning down to her ear. "What do you think I want from you?"

She flinched, trying to move away. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe to make me your lab rat again?" she asked harshly.

"No, Chloe," Lex replied honestly. "I needed you the first time because I wanted to see what your power was."

"I don't have any powers!"

He crossed his arms. "Yes, you do. You just saved that guy you were with. I know... I watched it happen."

"What the hell are you talking about?" All the color drained from her face as she recalled Dean lying pale and still in the backseat of the Impala, blood everywhere.

Lex chuckled. "There was a bright light, and voila, he was cured. Healthy." He leaned close to her once again. "And you, my dear Ms. Sullivan, looked as dead as a doornail."

Chloe stared at him as the implications of that sunk in. She'd somehow healed Dean. At least he was all right. She swallowed hard, falling silent, her heart thundering in her chest as she wondered what Lex intended to do with her now.

"You've done well," Lex continued, ignoring the shock on her face. "You'll make an excellent addition to my lab."

Dean cocked his gun and pointed it at Lex's head. "I don't fucking think so," he stated as evenly as possible.

Sam's own gun was held level at Lex's head, his eyes filled with anger. "This is what you do? Experiment on people?"

Chloe jerked her head toward the door, wanting to weep with relief. She didn't know how they'd managed to find her, much less break in, but somehow they had.

Lex glanced at the taller of the two men, his eyes angry for only a split second. "I didn't experiment on Chloe," he said, looking nonplussed at the gun to his head. "I just saved her life."

Dean cocked the gun. "How nice," he replied calmly, "so let her go."

"No."

Sam moved around Lex, toward the bed and quickly pulled a knife from his pocket, slicing through the restraints that held her in place. "You all right?" he asked, keeping a weary eye on Lex, who was looking very displeased.

"I think so," she whispered, slowly sitting up, her head spinning.

"Be careful with her," Dean said softly, his stony face not betraying the rage boiling in his veins. His aim remained steady on Lex, who took a step towards Sam and Chloe. "Not a good idea, Luthor," he growled.

Lex smirked arrogantly. "You think a gun's going to stop me?"

"No, but maybe being beaten within an inch of your life might." Dean took a step inside the room and glanced at Sam.

Sam carefully lifted Chloe into his arms. "I'd listen to him if I were you," he warned Lex.

Lex's gaze shifted from the man with the gun to regard the tall, lanky one carrying Chloe. "Oh really?" he drawled slowly. "Think you can take care of her, when she goes into another one of her comas?"

Looking back to Lex, Dean said, "Sam, get her out of here."

Sam glared at Lex, shifting Chloe in his arms as he headed for the door. "Dean. Find out how he brought her back," he whispered.

Dean nodded and saw his brother leave with the blonde headed woman out of the room. Taking another step towards the bald billionaire, he said, "So, how'd you do it, Lex? Was it luck or some wacky, fun filled concoction your mad scientists came up with?"

Lex simply smirked. "You mean the cure?"

"What do you mean, the cure?" His eyes clouded with surprise.

"You think she just woke up all on her own?"

"How stupid do you think I am, baldy?" Dean demanded. "I know this is her meteor freak power, and obviously there's something that'll wake her up. Since she didn't die, she needs help becoming conscious. What did you do to make that happen?" His voice grew loud with frustration, his trigger finger growing itchy.

He shrugged a little, looking smug. "I've been studying these rocks for years."

Dean snorted. "Great, a billionaire with an obsession. What're the odds?"

Lex smirked. "About as likely that Chloe will use her powers again to save someone and die next time."

"Shut up, dammit, and tell me what I have to do to keep her safe!" His eyes turned red with fury.

"You can't," he said with a detached tone. "She's a freak. It's only a matter of time before she turns evil or dies."

"Fuck you. She's not evil. It's not possible." Dean briefly thought about his younger brother, of the fear he held about the exact same thing, and promptly stuffed that deep down inside.

"Not now, no. It won't be long before her powers drive her crazy." His voice was confident, knowing.

He lost his cool and wanted to wipe the smug look off Luthor's face. He grabbed Lex by the neck with his free hand and squeezed. "It doesn't matter," he growled, "because you're not gonna get her. I'll take whatever dope you used to wake her up and leave you alive."

Lex choked, and attempted to push him away.

"No." Dean's grip around Lex's neck held firm. "Give me what I want."

He pointed toward a tray beside the bed, where a green serum was in a bottle.

"That's it?" he growled softly, squeezing a little harder. "You better not be lying to me."

Lex fell to the floor when Dean released him from his grip, gasping for breath.

Leaping over the other man's mostly inert body, Dean grabbed the bottle of green liquid and headed for the door, turning slightly to Lex. "Touch her again or try to kill her, and you're dead." With that, he ran out of the room and headed for the exit.

Lex watched him go with narrowed eyes, anger building within him. He was going to make Dean Winchester sorry for ever crossing his path.


	5. Chapter 5

Dean took them to the first place he could think of: the Talon. He knew Chloe carried a key to the apartment above the coffeehouse, and he knew their hotel rooms were probably being watched. Aside from scooting out of Smallville and not completing their job, this small apartment was the only place left to go.

Dean parked the Impala in the alleyway and got out, scooting his body across the hood quickly to open the door so Sam could carry her inside. He followed his brother into the Talon and upstairs to the apartment door. "Chloe, you got the key?" he asked, his eyes bright with concern. He carried the bottle taken from Lex securely in his jacket.

She winced a little, reaching into her jeans pocket and pulling it out, handing it to him. "Here," she murmured.

Their hands brushed gently, sending prickles of awareness along Dean's skin. "Thanks," he said softly, turning the key into the lock and opening the door for them.

Chloe shivered involuntarily as their fingers brushed lightly together and she stared at him with wide green eyes, the breath hitching in her throat.

He watched her intently, following Sam into the small apartment, kicking the door shut with his foot as he watched Sam carefully place Chloe on the couch. That she had saved him at the cost of her life gave him no amount of concern. He had no idea what to do next, so he remained by the door, gazing at her, fighting the urge to dive into her lovely eyes.

Sam stood awkwardly beside the couch, gazing from Chloe to his brother and then back again. "I think I'm gonna head downstairs and get some coffee." He raised an eyebrow and looked at Dean meaningfully before heading out the door once again.

"Hey, gimme a coffee, okay?" Dean called, watching his brother leave the room, a frown on his face. It took a moment before he looked back at Chloe, who seemed to be staring at the space above his head. "Hey, did I grow horns or something?" he asked wryly, patting his head.

She rolled her eyes, dropping her gaze to the floor. "Of course not."

He cleared his throat, hands falling to his side once again. He shuffled across the room, sitting in the chair next to her. "Okay, awkward," he mumbled, unsure of what to say.

Chloe sat silently for a long moment before lifting her gaze to look at him once more. "So you're all right?"

He dramatically patted his sides. "Yep, I'm all patched up," he replied, "thanks to you." He looked at her and smiled softly.

She met his gaze. "I'm glad," she whispered.

Dean stared intently at her for a moment, feeling the attraction sizzle between them. He looked away, however, clearing his throat loudly. "So you can... heal people. I can think of worse powers to have."

"Yeah." She wrapped her arms around herself.

"I managed to get the juice that makes you lively again from Luthor." He produced the bright green vial from his jacket and handed it to her.

She winced a little, her gaze flickering briefly to the vial. "Thanks," she whispered.

He grimaced at the flash of pain in her eyes and wished, again, he had been able to save her. Like she had saved him. He stuffed his roughened hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry," he said after a tense moment, fighting the urge to hold her. Wondering why she affected him so strongly.

"Don't be." She let out a breath and reluctantly met his eyes. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

You have no idea, he thought, his eyes trailing up her body slowly. He wished he had the time to find out everything about her... but even as he heard Sam's footsteps on the stairs, Dean knew time was of the essence. "They'll have to wait," he stated, meeting her hopeful eyes. "Sam and I still have to hunt down this evil meteor dude killing other people."

"Correction. You, Sam and I," she said, folding her arms across his chest.

He snorted and smirked at her remark. "Oh no, I'm not gonna let you get hurt again." He glanced at Sam entering the apartment wielding three cups of coffee.

Sam silently handed over coffee to his brother, then looked at Chloe. "What's he trying to do, now?" he asked her.

The annoyance was clear on her face. "Whether you like it or not, you need me to find this guy."

Sam nodded. "Hate to take sides, but Chloe's right, Dean. This guy's hunting people with meteor powers, so she can help." He briefly wondered why he was sticking up for her but shrugged it off. She had more or less proven to him of her ability to survive anything.

Dean crossed his arms, glaring at her. "Really. You don't think Sam and I can find this dude on our own? Without your help?"

"He's not interested in you," she said bluntly, holding his gaze. "Because you're not freaks."

"Depends on your definition of 'freak'," Sam replied under his breath, trying hard not to smile.

Dean gritted his teeth, irritation bubbling up quickly. "Since you're still injured from your last run-in with the King of the Freaks, I think it's better that you stay here while we..." He pointed at his brother "... kill the bad guy." Then they could leave, saying goodbye over the phone, if at all. He pushed back the stab of regret he suffered.

"You don't seem to get what I'm saying." Her voice grew hard as she took a step toward Dean. "He's not going to be found unless he wants to be. And it's become abundantly clear that his only real want is to kill all the other freaks out there. Which means if any of us has a shot at finding him, it's me."

"Why are you so damn stubborn?" he snapped, running a hand through his hair.

"Runs in my family," she retorted.

"Ours, too," Sam replied with a smirk. He walked over to Dean and grabbed his brother's jacket. "Excuse us for a moment." He pulled Dean across the room and looked down at him. "Dude, you've got to let her do this."

Dean's dark mood crossed his face. "Why, Sammy? I don't want her blood on my hands."

He gazed at his brother intently for a moment. "We're not gonna let her die, Dean."

"Right... because she's not coming with us."

The intensity of Dean's voice made a realization dawn on him. "You're in love with her."

He blinked, incredulous, saying nothing, though he gave Sam a look that would have frozen over Hell itself.

"I'm right," he muttered, stunned.

Dean snorted. "Yeah, right." He turned away from Sam.

Sam shook his head a little, reeling. He glanced over to where Chloe had been standing only moments before. "Oh crap."

"Dammit, Chloe," Dean muttered, looking at the now empty apartment. He had to get involved with someone more stubborn than him. "Come on, Sam," he whispered, making a dash for the door. He couldn't afford to waste any time catching up to her. She was much too determined to go where he was afraid to take her.

&&&&&

Chloe drove toward the Edwards' farm on the south side of town, her knuckles turning white as she clutched the steering wheel. It was the location of the last meteor freak's death, and while she somehow doubted that the killer would return, she went anyway. Reaching over into the passenger seat, she picked her gun up out of her purse and set it beside her on the seat, focused as she drove.

His knuckles white from choking the life out of the steering wheel, Dean growled, "Where the hell is this house? And how do you know she went there?" He tossed an angry look at Sam, who looked amused but serious while reading through their notes about the meteor freak.

"It was where the last kill happened," he informed his brother.

And she's going there because? he thought angrily, pushing on the gas. "Right, because the meteor freak's just hiding in the shadows, waiting to rip her to pieces."

Sam glanced at him sideways. "She's definitely ambitious. Not unlike someone else I know."

"Shut up, dude." His feelings were the last thing he wanted to discuss, especially with his touchy-feely brother.

He smirked a bit and looked back at their notes.

Turning down a long driveway, Dean spotted Chloe's Yaris parked at the end, close to the house. He shook his head, not surprised in the least she was there. "She's here," he pointed out, nodding towards the car.

"Good." Sam drew in a breath, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked off into the distance. "Dean?"

"What, Sammy?" Dean's cold, all-business tone resounded in the Impala. He pulled the car next to hers and parked it.

"She's not the only one here." He nodded toward the empty car a few yards away.

"Maybe, maybe not. It could've been here for awhile," he replied, ignoring the stab of fear that shot through his insides. He slid out of the driver's seat and jogged to the ugly brown car parked underneath a massive grove of trees. Almost like it was being hidden. He touched the hood and frowned. It was warm.

Sam sucked in a breath as he heard a scream in the distance.

"Chloe." Dean raced to the front of the house, kicking down the door and rushing inside before Sam could catch up to him. He found the front of the house empty; grabbing his gun, he cocked it, rounding the corner to the kitchen, his body tense with readiness.

Sam moved to the back of the house, his heart thundering against his chest. He just hoped they weren't too late.

&&&&&

Chloe stared at the man, her breathing shallow. "Why are you doing this?" She shook her head a little, trying to calm her nerves.

Tying her to a chair, her wrists and ankles snug, Jake grimaced at the blonde's biting tone. "It's for your own good," he protested. "I'm trying to help."

"By killing me?" she asked dubiously.

He frowned. "For your own good," he repeated, turning to gaze at her. "If you're taken, you're as good as dead."

It took her only a second to realize what he was talking about. "Lex."

Jake nodded solemnly, opening his mouth to speak when he heard a noise behind him. He whirled around to see two men in the doorway, both pointing guns at him.

Seeing Chloe tied to a chair, reminding him of seeing her sprawled out on Lex Luthor's examination table, nearly sent Dean over the edge. "Let her go, you son of a bitch," he muttered, cocking the gun, his eyes glittering death.

"I can't," Jake replied quietly. "She's better off dead than being a lab rat."

The breath caught in Chloe's throat at his words. "Jake, listen to me. I know Lex better than just about anyone in this town. If anyone can take that son of a bitch down for what he's done, it's me."

Dean grimaced. Oh shit, not again, he thought, glancing back at his brother.

Jake shook his head furiously. "You don't understand. I was in Lex's facility. You don't know what he's capable of... the things he does to us... what he did to me."

"And what makes you the one to do this?" Dean snapped, interrupting the meteor freak. He eyed the tall, skinny guy, though his words were aimed at Chloe.

"You're wrong," Chloe said quietly. "I've been in 33.1 just like you have. And I'm more than aware of the kinds of horrible things Lex and his father are capable of." She ignored the shocked look on both of the Winchester's faces.

Sam stared at her with horror, realizing she wasn't referring to having been in 33.1 today. He looked sideways at Dean, feeling sick, but keeping his gun trained on Jake.

Dean's mind went numb; the gun shook slightly in his hand. These two had been in a place where the real monsters were "people" who used them to test, experiment, and look at all the things that make them different. Dean blinked, unsure of who he wanted to shoot more: Jake or Lex.

"You... have?" Jake asked quietly, ignoring the men with guns. He didn't consider them a threat, anyway.

"Yes." Her voice was still quiet and she met his eyes. "And so was my mother. Remember? You met her."

A gleam of recognition entered his eyes. "The pretty woman? With the sweet voice." He nodded slowly, a placid smile on his lips.

Lowering his gun, Dean felt at once amused and infuriated. "You two need a moment to bond?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his lips. In this moment of helplessness, it seemed as though Chloe had everything under control. She didn't need him after all.

"Yeah, that's her," she whispered, smiling despite the tears she felt threatening to fall. She glanced at Dean for the briefest of moments.

He didn't know what to do. It was as if Chloe and Jake were in their own world, with Sam and him on the outskirts looking in. Much as he often did when he wanted something so badly he could taste it. "She doesn't need us here," he whispered to his brother, catching Chloe's eye for a moment.

Sam wasn't as convinced, his hand tightening around the gun a little as he watched Jake take a step closer to Chloe.

"So you can take me to your mother?" Jake asked softly, reaching out to grab a handful of pale, blonde hair.

She froze for a moment, fear flashing across her eyes. "Why do you wanna see my mother?"

He sighed. "So she can tell me what to do."

Dean sensed her fear and his gun shot back up. He moved into the room. "Hey, Hercules, don't touch her."

"Or what? You'll hurt me?" Jake sounded amused by the demand.

Aiming at Jake's arm, he muttered, "It'd be nice to see if you're made of steel or not."

"Jake. Just untie me and we'll figure this all out." She swallowed hard.

"No," he protested with a frown. "Can't do that."

"Gonna do that, dude," Dean replied with a low growl, "or you'll be spitting bullets in a second."

"Why not? You know I can't hurt you." She gazed at him intently, her heart thundering in her chest.

Jake looked at her, sensing her silent plea for help. He took a couple steps towards her, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this," he whispered, wrapping his hands around her neck slowly.

"Sam!" Dean shouted, panic flooding his body. He did the first thing that came to mind: he pulled the trigger, squeezing off several rounds into Jake's back and shoulder, watching the bullets pierce through flesh and bone.

Sam fire a single shot to the head, grimacing as blood splattered all over the walls.

Dean watched Jake fall dead onto the floor, crumpling into a ball of bloody goo. "Huh, guess we answered that question," he muttered, putting his gun down and stepping over Jake to untie Chloe. He wore a 'told you so' expression, though he said nothing.

Her face pale with shock, she didn't register his expression as he untied her. A couple of tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Sam, go start the car. We're getting the hell out of Dodge," Dean told his brother flatly, putting his arms underneath her legs and pulling her up with him, holding her close in his arms. He couldn't look at her, for fear that her anguished look might break him.

Maybe Sam was right, he thought, feeling an unfamiliar tightening around his heart. Maybe he did love her.


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you sure we can stay here?" Dean asked dubiously, looking around at the quaint decor of the small farmhouse, wondering is this Clark Kent was as down-home country fried boy as his home seemed to suggest. He held Chloe in his arms, sitting with her on the couch, while Sam gazed out the window, the lookout for them.

"It's fine. They're like my second family," she whispered almost inaudibly, her eyes closed.

He shuddered. "And you said you loved this guy?" He tried to keep the sarcasm to a minimum while he stroked her hair gently.

"I said it was complicated," she corrected him, resting her head against his collarbone, her body still trembling.

"Isn't love complicated?" he asked quietly, more a rhetorical question that anything. He noticed Sam looking at them, a smart smile on his face. Dean glowered at his younger brother, then closed his eyes.

"Chloe, sure you wouldn't be more comfortable in a bed or something?" Sam asked quietly.

"I'm all right." Her voice remained soft. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "Aren't you glad you guys came to this freak show town?"

Dean stiffened a moment, glancing down at her. He had no idea how to answer that question, though he tugged her closer to him, letting her head fall against his chest.

"It's actually one of the nicer places we've been to," Sam remarked, cocking an eyebrow in his brother's direction.

Dean smirked back. "And hey, I got a pretty girl in my arms to show for it, so where's the bad?"

She shook her head a little. If she hadn't been so tired, so emotionally drained, she might have smiled at their remarks. As it was, she struggled to hold back tears she felt building. Without realizing it, her fingers curled around the collar of Dean's shirt, clutching onto it tightly.

He felt wetness on his arm and knew she was crying. He also acknowledged that the second she was asleep, he was going to track down Lex Luthor and beat him within an inch of his life for what he had done to her before either of the Winchesters had entered her life. Dean glanced at Sam, then plopped a small kiss on the top of her head.

Sam winced a little but nodded. He didn't know if there was anything he could do to prevent Dean from doing anything rash.

She knew she was being desperate, clingy and she hated herself for it. She barely knew the man despite the weird connection and attraction they shared, but he made her feel safe in a way that even Clark never had. Her body shuddered involuntarily and she tried to get a hold of her emotions before they got out of control.

His arms squeezed her gently. "Hey, it's over," he whispered in her ear. "Get some rest, Chloe."

She buried her face against the crook of his neck, letting out a slow breath before her body began to relax.

Several minutes passed before he thought she was asleep. When he heard her breathing even out, he glanced up at Sam. "Can you watch her?" he whispered urgently.

"Dean." He looked pained.

"Don't give me that look," he complained, slowly and reluctantly moving Chloe out of his arms. He placed her head gently on the pillow he'd leaned against and stood up.

"Don't do anything stupid."

He smirked. "Aw, come on, Sammy. I never do that." He pulled his keys out of his pocket and headed for the back door.

"Yeah. That's exactly why I'm worried," he grumbled under his breath.

He cast one last look at the woman sleeping on the couch, his eyes furrowed and pained. "Take care of her for me," he uttered, his eyes growing hard as stone. He marched out the door, not giving his brother a chance to talk him out of it.

&&&&&

Lex stood in the middle of his study alone, frowning as he stared at the pool table, then leaned down to make a shot.

"You know, I could kick your ass at pool," Dean replied, leaning against the door jam, anger flashing across his eyes. His face remained a mask of neutrality, however, when Lex straightened and turned to look at him coolly.

"Somehow I doubt that." He raised an eyebrow.

Smirking, he waltzed into the room and grabbed a pool stick. Gazing at the table, he leaned down, carefully executing a bank shot that put two solids in the side pockets. "Wanna bet on that?"

A faint, amused smile touched his lips. "Why not? I have nothing to lose."

"Right, because a weird, insane billionaire doesn't have anything to lose." He leaned against the pool stick, meeting Lex's cool gaze with the same sense of amusement.

"I have everything I need," he said coolly.

"Including the freaks you kidnap and torture on a regular basis?" He immediately thought about Chloe but shoved it aside. Beating this guy at his own game might be impossible, but why use the mind when fists could work just as well?

"It's not about torture, Dean. It's about saving the planet." He gazed at him evenly. "Are you aware that as we speak this planet's been invaded?"

He snorted and glared at Lex. "What the hell is this, Invasion of the Body Snatchers?"

"More like invasion of extraterrestrials," he responded without humor.

Dean took the end of the pool stick and tapped Lex's bald head with it, chuckling. "I think that green rock has gone to your head, because you're living in a dream world."

"Am I?" His gaze was level, even. "I'm almost positive your girlfriend's close friend Clark Kent is one of them."

He shrugged, nonplussed. "I wouldn't know and couldn't care less." He took a step towards the other man and sized him up. "The fact of the matter is, you're a fruitcake and deserve to be taken down for what you've done." He slapped the pool stick on the table in emphasis.

"We're not that different," Lex mused.

Dean's fists balled tightly. "What?" he growled.

"You hunt down evil things. I pay people to hunt down evil things."

He didn't know how Lex knew what he and his brother did for a living, but he didn't care. The man obviously considered him a threat, or else he wouldn't have done his homework. He took another step towards Lex and smirked. "But the things we hunt down are actually evil. Like you, for example. You're an evil sonofabitch." And I'd take you down if it meant making Chloe happier, he thought.

"You're entitled to your opinion," he said smoothly. "The fact is, Chloe's no longer human. She has much more potential now than she ever had before. She should be more than happy to step up to the plate and do her part in protecting the human race."

"Shut up, Luthor," Dean hissed, his voice dangerous, his eyes glittering with hatred. "She's got more humanity in her pinky than your whole fucking body... and if you so much as touch her, I'll make good on my threat."

"I'm unimpressed with your threats, Mr. Winchester. Now why don’t you run along?" he suggested.

"Not before I give you this," Dean replied casually, cocking his right arm back and clocking Lex in the face, his knuckles meeting his nose hard. He felt the crunch of bone beneath his fist and watched as the other man fell to the floor.

Lex's eyes darkened as his hand went up to cover his broken, bleeding nose.

"Stay the hell away from her, Luthor," he threatened again, leaning over Lex's sprawled body on the floor. "Or you'll have more than a broken nose to worry about." He smirked briefly, happy to have done some damage, then straightened and headed for the door.

&&&&&

Chloe woke up with a start, confused at first when she realized she was on the Kent's sofa. When she spotted Sam a few feet away in the recliner, she sat up quickly, looking for Dean.

"He's not here," Sam said softly, glancing up at her when he saw her move. He looked at the terror in her eyes and tried to smile. Deep down inside, though, he was afraid. Dean could be locked up in Lex's dungeon, for all her knew.

"Where is he?" she asked in alarm.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, not sure if he should tell her. "Just get some rest. He'll be here soon."

She rose to her feet, not liking the fact he was avoiding her eyes. "Sam. Where did he go?"

"Wait, Chloe." He shot out of his seat and put a firm hand on her arm. "He's gone to see Lex, okay? And he'll be here soon. You need to rest."

Her eyes widened. "What? He went to the Luthors'? Alone?"

Sam bit back a smile, amused by her concern for his brother. "Yes, alone. And if you knew Dean, you'd know he can handle himself." Okay, so some of that was stretching the truth, but she didn't need to know that. Not now, when she was frantically trying to pull out of his grip.

"Listen to me." Her voice was clipped. "You have no idea what the two of them can do. What they can get away with. We have to go find him right now."

Sam frowned and tightened his grip on her. "Chloe, hold on a second, okay? Dean's --"

"-- right here," came a voice from the kitchen door. Dean strode in, triumph written on his face. His eyes sought out Chloe's immediately and his lips turned upward into a blinding grin. "Looks like you missed me."

She quickly headed over to where he stood and smacked him in the shoulder. "What the hell were you thinking?"

He pulled back, feigning hurt against his shoulder. "About how cool it'd be to burn down the Luthor mansion?" he asked innocently, unwilling to confess he'd been thinking of her the entire time.

Sam turned his head and coughed back his laughter.

"Oh God, what did you do?" she asked with wide eyes.

"If my guess is right," Sam replied, chuckling softly, "he probably beat the crap out of Lex."

Dean nodded and grimaced at Sam. "Broke his damn nose, that's it." He turned back to Chloe, saw the intense terror in her eyes, and frowned. "What? I can't defend your honor or something?"

"Oh, Dean." She raked a hand through her hair. "He's gonna come after you. Both of you."

Dean shrugged it off casually, though he knew she was right. "Guess you'll have to come with us, so we can fight him off together." The words flew out of his mouth, and while they sounded crass, he realized with a start that he meant it.

Sam's eyes widened with surprise. Dean wanted her to go with them? "Uh, Dean..." he started, nodding towards the other side of the room.

Chloe stared at him in wide-eyed shock, unable to respond.

"Dean," Sam repeated more forcefully. "We need to talk." He walked across the room, crossing his arms and waited.

With a sigh, Dean slid around Chloe, her feminine scent still in his nostrils as he approached his brother. "What, dude?" he asked, frowning. "We can't leave her here."

"Well, we can't take her with us," he responded, shaking his head and looking at Dean like he was nuts.

"Why the hell not?"

"Uh, because what we do is incredibly dangerous!"

He turned and looked back at her. "I think she can handle it, Sam," he replied honestly. "Besides, Luthor's got plans for her. I think he's gonna take her again, and I can't leave here knowing she's in danger..." His words slowed at the gleam of irritated understanding in Sam's eyes.

"Have you told her?" His voice was quiet.

He glowered a little under his brother's intense gaze... and shook his head.

A smirk tugged at Sam's lips. "You should."

He snorted quietly. "Don't go there, Sammy. She's going with us."

He was silent for a moment, his gaze flickering over to where she was pacing the kitchen floor nervously.

Dean sighed in frustration and walked towards the blonde, not sure who to deal with first. Both Chloe and Sam seemed against the idea: a sinking feeling settled in his stomach when he reached out and touched her shoulder, feeling her stiffen beneath his touch.

She looked up at him wordlessly, searching his eyes for some kind of clue on what was going on in his mind.

He cleared his throat loudly, meeting her gaze and holding it. "Okay. Awkward," he whispered when she said nothing. Maybe this wasn't the brightest suggestion he'd ever made, but it didn't stop his wanting it. "So... uh, what do you think?"

"Are you serious?" she whispered, shaking her head.

He blinked, a little shocked at her question. "No, it's all about the shock value," he retorted wryly. "Apparently I got what I wanted." His arm fell to his side and he looked away towards Sam, who was giving him that 'you need to tell her' look.

"Dean, why?" Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

Sam smiled at his brother and nodded, prodding silently.

Sighing and looking down, Dean whispered, "Why not? Wouldn't it be fun for a change? And we could keep you safe."

She gazed at him intently, contemplating what a life on the road would be like with these two guys. Waking up every morning unsure of where they were going next or what they'd be doing. The reporter in her found the idea utterly fascinating. Her heart found the idea frightening. "I'm sure it would be fun," she said softly.

His jaw ticked tightly as he glanced over at Sam, who was still staring at them. Clearing his throat again, he turned back to Chloe. "Damn straight. Besides... you'd be with me." His voice was low and almost hoarse from the effort it took to speak. Telling women how he felt had never been his strong suit, not when it really mattered.

Chloe hesitated a moment, then reached out and touched his arm.

The small movement startled him, and he looked into her warm, green eyes. Something clicked in his mind: he wasn't sure, but he wondered suddenly if she loved him too. "I love you, okay?" he whispered inaudibly. "I want you with me. Sam and I will protect you from anything."

The breath hitched her throat at his confession as she gazed at him. "Well, this is...different," she whispered, a smile tugging at her lips.

He snorted. "Like I said, it's the shock value." He stepped away from her and ran a hand through his short hair. "Sorry I mentioned it."

She quickly grabbed his arm again, surprise on her face. "No, that's not...I just meant...it's different because...the guys I fall for...never fall for me," she whispered.

Surprise registered on his face. "Wait," he said with a happy smirk, "You... fell for me?"

Sam, having heard his brother's remark, shook his head. His brother could be really dense when it came to women.

"Duh," she responded with a soft chuckle, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands, kissing him on the lips.

The second her lips touched his, Dean groaned and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her against him tightly. He deepened the kiss, conveying unspoken words of love and need for her. That as long as she was with them, she would never come to harm.

"I love you too," she whispered, her fingers tangling in his hair.

Dean sunk his face into the crook of her neck, allowing the force of her words settle into his heart. He smiled, brushing his lips lightly against her skin.

Sam coughed loudly. "Uh, guys?" he asked, amusement resounding in his voice.

Dean looked up at his brother, not letting Chloe go. "No, we don't need a room, Sammy," he retorted, leaning into her ear. "Not yet, anyway."

She couldn't help but smile, her arms wound around him just as tightly and unwilling to let him go. "I'll go with you," she whispered.

"Good," he replied, squeezing her to him, his lips grazing her earlobe again, "because I sure as hell don't wanna stay in this... town. It's too freaky, even by my standards."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realize you had a limit to your freakiness," she teased lightly, eyes filled with mischief.

Leaning back to look at her, Dean smirked. "Baby, you don't know how far that goes... yet." He leaned in to steal another kiss when Sam interrupted him with another loud cough. "Hey, get a cough drop for that," he called, faking irritation.

Sam shook his head and grinned. "If you two are finished... we should probably go." He headed for the kitchen door, thinking about making a trek out to the Roadhouse for information on Lex Luthor. He had a feeling they would need it.

Chloe watched him go, then looked at Dean once more. Somehow, she had a feeling she wouldn't miss Smallville too much.


End file.
